Follow Through
by coldplaywhore
Summary: Tired of being setup on horrible blind dates, Edward and Bella, share a memorable together. Bella thinks it's just a stupid one night stand, but Edward wants more. Will she be able to resist him when someone from her past shows up? ExB Lemons
1. You Know You Are On A Bad Date When

**A/N: Brand new story. Please review if you like it so far. I plan on it being a little more fluffy that previous stories. Hope you Enjoy!**

**Edward POV**

Alice was dead. Literally. I was tired of her trying to set me up on dates with random women who couldn't carry a half way decent conversation. Tonight had been the last straw. Tonight's catastrophe was named Jessica. She was a 23 year old model that had worked for Alice, my sister, and up and coming fashion designer. It was sheer torture from the moment I sat down at the table to the time I managed to fake an urgent phone call from my boss. During dinner, she talked about the most asinine things imaginable. How she had just got out of a serious relationship, how much she liked Jimmy Choo (I have no idea who the fuck he is), how she thought Legally Blonde was a comic masterpiece. I was done. I wanted to go find my loving sister and strangle her. But first, I wanted a stiff drink.

So here I sat at the bar down the road from my apartment, sipping on my Glenfiddich Single Malt Whiskey, like it was a lifeline. For some reason I kept glancing around the bar, probably out of sheer terror that Jessica may have followed me when I finally left the restaurant. I looked around at my unassuming surroundings and was glad to be so close to home. I could drink myself into forgetting the last three hours before I stumbled home. It was the perfect plan. Until she walked in.

I was doing another sweep of the bar, making sure the vapid model hadn't found me and saw the picture of perfection walk in, and sit down a few stools from me at the bar. She quickly ordered a gin and tonic from the bartender, who was looking at her in a very similar way to me. She had long brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders. She was dressed in a knee length black skirt and light blue top that hung nicely on her small frame. She was very attractive. I was tempted to buy her a drink, but luckily for me, she was a talkative woman and struck up conversation with me.

"Do all men suck?" she asked, with an angry inflection to her voice.

"Um... were you talking to me?" I asked, still a bit shocked that this adorable woman was talking to me.

"Yeah, I'm doing an informal survey. So… do all men suck?" she asked again as she took a sip of her drink.

"Depends on your definition of suck, I suppose," I answered bluntly. She laughed carelessly and smiled one of the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen. I would have to remind myself later to thank Alice for setting me up on the worst date of my entire life, because I had met this lovely creature instead.

"Are all men evil, stupid, vile?"

"Yes. It's something that was drilled into us shortly after childbirth," I nodded and she laughed again.

"So where are all the good guys?" she asked curiously.

"Well, there's one right here, and the rest are somewhere in the gay section of town. Isn't it a common misnomer that all the good ones are either married or gay?" I asked, gaining a bit of confidence in talking to her. What I wouldn't give to know her name, get her phone number, spread her onto this counter and make love to her.

"Yeah, I've heard that somewhere. So, you are neither married nor gay, yet you claim to be one of the good guys?"

"I am one of the good guys. Ask my sister," I laughed at this remark most of all, knowing full well that Alice would say anything to put me in a positive light. I could be the Unabomber and she would chat happily about the 'adorable little cottage I had in the woods.'

"Ok, give me her number," she said as she moved to the seat right next to me. I dialed Alice on my cell phone and waited impatiently for her to answer.

"Voicemail," I said to her, a little upset that Alice didn't answer.

"Ok, let me leave a message," she said as she grabbed my phone and waited for a moment, clearly awaiting Alice's long drawn out message to finish. "Hi Alice, this is Bella. I just met your brother tonight and he insists to me that he is one of the 'good guys' so call me back at 548-8795 and confirm this for me, alright? Thanks!" Bella handed me the phone back and gave me a small smile.

"Bella, that's a beautiful name," I was practically blushing as the words fell from my mouth.

"It's Isabella actually, but I prefer Bella. And you are?"

"Edward Cullen, pleased to meet you," I stammered lightly as I extended my hand out to her. She took it gently.

"Bella Swan. Wait, if you are Edward Cullen, does that mean I just left a message for Alice Cullen, THE Alice Cullen," she squeaked with a hint of excitement.

"Uh, yeah. Is that okay?" I asked curiously.

"More than okay. I love her stuff. She has some of the most interesting and sexy designs out there," sighed Bella happily.

"Well, I'm sure she would love to hear that. You can mention it to her when she calls you back to confirm my identity as one of the rare 'good guys'" I joked as I ordered myself another drink. "Need a refill?" I asked Bella tentatively. She shook her head and I ordered her another drink.

We spent the next hour talking about the most random, yet interesting things. She was a photographer, and had just been out on the worst date of her life. She laughed the story of my date from hell, and we exchanged witty comments about our dates.

"Seriously Edward, if this guy was any shorter, he would have carried a battleaxe and required a huge beard. I mean, I'm only like 5'4" but I towered over this guy. I felt like I was babysitting him, not dating him," she threw her head back and laughed heartily. I just wanted to lick her neck.

"You know you are on a bad date when she spends the first hour quoting the movie, 'Legally Blonde'" I teased, as we made a new game for ourselves.

"You know you are on a bad date, when you are with Gimli from Lord of the Rings."

"You know you are on a bad date, when she thinks a la carte means it comes to you on a cart." I joked, and she elbowed me, laughing happily.

"You know you are on a bad date when he's got a fanny pack," she started. "Ok, so I stole that from the 40 Year Old Virgin, but it still works." Aww… a woman after my own heart. She likes Steve Carrell and gin and tonic.

It was almost two perfect hours of conversation later when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I looked at it and almost didn't answer, but it was Alice.

"Hi Alice," I said pleasantly into the phone, loud enough so that Bella could hear me. She turned her head and listened intently.

"So big brother, I have a very weird message on my phone from someone named Bella wanting to confirm you aren't a serial killer or something. What the fuck?" she asked comically.

"Why don't you talk to her about it," I said as I handed my phone to Bella.

"Hi Alice, it's a pleasure to talk to you," started Bella. I listened carefully as they had their little conversation. I was dying to know what my sister was sharing with the angel who sat next to me. "Yeah, bodies in the basement. Uh huh, sick sexual fetishes. Ok, married. Gotcha, thanks Alice," she said as I was practically crapping my pants. I reached for the phone from her and wanted to talk to Alice to find out why she would lie like that to Bella. "She hung up a few seconds before I said that shit," she laughed to herself. Oh, she's got jokes.

"Very funny. I trust my sister spoke of me in a good light?" I asked, still extremely curious about their conversation.

"Completely. She was a little too positive about you," she laughed again. Oh how I loved that laugh. I stared down at my watch and it was already past 1 in the morning. I was dreading saying good bye to this woman. Luckily, there was another hour until the bar closed, so I still had time. "So, Edward, what do you do anyways?"

"I'm a writer. Part time journalist, which pays the bills and part time author, which doesn't pay for anything right now." She just cocked her eye brow as though she found this interesting. I had found everything about her tonight interesting. The way she circled her glass with her finger, whenever she was thinking about something seriously. The way she ran her fingers through her soft hair when she was nervous. The way she talked about photography as though it was the only thing in the world. She was positively endearing. Before I knew it, the bartender was giving us the evil eye, signaling it was time to leave.

"Time to go, I guess," I said as I motioned to the bartender, who was cleaning up a bit. I looked around the bar again, no sign of the stalker, or anyone else for that matter. Apparently Bella and I had closed the place down. "It's kind of a shame this has to end. This has been by far the most interesting part of my month."

"Who says it has to end?" she said slyly as she winked at me. _Jackpot_.

**Bella POV**

He was gorgeous. He was smart. He was sexy. His sister was an awesome fashion designer. What wasn't to like. Oh that's right. After my most recent disaster of a relationship I had sworn off men. But did I have to swear off this man? My best friend Rosalie had been trying to get me back out into the dating scene for weeks, but each date turned into a worse failure than the last. From the date with the dentist (sheer boring torture) to the one with the artist (arrogant prick) I was almost certain that she was trying to kill me through these dates.

Edward seemed different though. His sister certainly seemed to like him, which was a good sign. If a guy treated his sister decently, he would most definitely treat his girlfriend just as nice. I didn't want to be his girlfriend though. I had enough stress in my life thanks to my demanding job. All these dates I had gone on were basically to placate Rosalie. Perhaps I would mention meeting Edward to her so that she could get off my back.

I was pretty bummed when Edward said that they were closing the bar. I really wanted to continue talking to him some more. He was very funny, and humor was something that was sorely missing in my life these days. I was shocked though when I practically propositioned him before we left the bar.

"Who says it has to end?" That was definitely something I wouldn't say unless I was seven Gin and Tonics in. He nodded his head in agreement, apparently not ready to part from me either.

"I live just down the street, if you are interested in a nightcap?" he offered sweetly.

"That sounds… perfect," I said as I stood from stool and he led the way from the bar.

"You know you are on a bad date when she starts telling you the names of her 13 cats," he said happily as we wandered down the street, with me beside him, a little too eager for my own good.


	2. One Night

**A/N: Chapter 2. I should have had it updated earlier, but angstgoddess003 finally updated her story "Wide Awake" and I had to take some time to read that thing. Twice. Anyways, enjoy the new chapter. I have a ton of ideas in store for this story, so like my others, there should be quick chapter updates.**

**Disclaimer stuff goes here. No characters are mine, whatever and so on.**

**Bella POV**

"You know you are a bad date when he leaves to go to the bathroom every five minutes," I said as I recalled the first blind date that Rosalie set me up on. "Who does that? I kept wondering all night if the bathroom attendant was offering up hand jobs or something."

"You know you are on a bad date when she mentions her immense collections of My Little Ponies, still in their original packaging," Edward laughed as he looked down at me in an endearing way. He must have been at least six feet tall, so of course he had to look down at me. Edward hadn't seemed as tall when we were chatting aimlessly at the bar, but I was pleased. I always preferred taller guys.

"They could be worth a lot some day. You should have married her and absconded with the collection," I joked with him, when suddenly he stopped dead in his tracks. "You could be rich by now."

"Who says I'm not rich? This is my building." He fished his keys out of his pocket and looked at me with hesitation. "You don't have to come up with me if you don't want to," said Edward as he held the entrance open.

"Shut up Edward," I said as I walked through the front door, waiting for him to lead me to his apartment. We stepped into the elevator and he pushed the button for the fourth floor. "You know you are on a bad date when the guy tried to reject you at the door after inviting you up already."

"Is that what this is, a date?" he asked curiously as he fidgeted nervously with his hands.

"I don't know what this is, but it's been fun so far," I admitted honestly as we got off the elevator and I followed him down the hallway to his door. When we walked in, I was actually pleasantly surprised. No naked women posters or neon beer signs. He excused himself for a minute and I wandered around the room trying to get a better sense of him. Thankfully the alcohol I had consumed tonight hadn't had an effect on my balance, yet.

He had two Ansel Adams prints; at least I think they were prints, on his wall. A bookcase covered the far wall of his living room and it was absolutely filled with hundreds of volumes. On his coffee table sat the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly and the most recent season of LOST on DVD. So he was intellectual, cultured, smart and liked a challenge. _Why couldn't he have been my date tonight?_

When Edward came back into the room, he was dressed in a casual pair of faded jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt. He looked more handsome now than when he was dressed up.

"That's so not fair," I groaned, envious of his comfort. "You get to be all casual and I'm still stuck in this."

"I have some shorts, tees and sweats, if you want. I'm sure they will be way too big, but you might be more comfortable," he offered up kindly. I hated skirts and couldn't wait to burn this one, so I nodded my head eagerly in agreement. Edward led me into his bedroom and he sorted through his dresser until he found some clothes I could put on. "I'll leave you to it then," he said as he walked away, closing the door behind him.

I looked around and started to analyze his bedroom now. There were a few family photos on the wall, and more books littered his night stand. I saw a really sweet picture of him and Alice, and someone else I assumed to be a brother on his dresser, they looked like they were a very happy family. I peeked into his closet and as I expected, it was immaculate and color-coordinated. I decided on a comfy but loose pair of boxer shorts and a slightly ragged white Armani t-shirt. The bra I was wearing was black, so I just took it off and put it with the rest of my clothes, which I had folded neatly and laid at the end of his bed.

"You clean up nice," said Edward as I finally strolled out his room. His eyes ran up and down my body, appearing to review every square inch of my skin. I actually felt less self conscious in his clothes than my own. "So, what's your poison?"

"I don't suppose you have any Gin & Tonic," I asked hopeful. I always found it better to keep to one kind of drink each night, even if you did end up having twelve of them.

"Nope, sorry. I have Whiskey, Scotch, Vodka, Rum and some fruity mixed shit that Alice left last time she was here," he offered as he looked through his fridge.

"Rum and Coke?"

"Consider it done," he said politely as he poured the two drinks and then came into the living room. I was sitting on his oversized black leather couch, cross legged and he sat down in front of me. "Something on your mind?" I looked at his Simpsons DVD collection and decided to test his knowledge.

"Homer, the plant called. They said if you don't show up tomorrow don't bother showing up on Monday," I laughed as I pointed to his DVD collection, which I had just noticed featured almost every single season of The Simpsons.

"Woo Hoo, Four Day Weekend." He said quoting Homer verbatim. I was impressed. "Ah yes, the comic genius that is The Simpsons. I'm a child of the 90's, what do you expect?" Edward said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I think it's cute," I blushed furiously.

"Not as cute as when you blush," he said sweetly as he took a sip of his drink, trying to act nonchalant.

"So, who is your favorite Simpsons character?"

"Well that is a tough question. Do you base the opinion based on overall years of work or do you think primarily of the earlier seasons which were obviously funnier. I'm tempted to say Ralph Wiggum, because even though he is a little slow, he had some of the best lines." It was like he was analyzing Chaucer or something, he was very passionate about this topic.

"Mine's grandpa. His best line ever might just be 'Well, whenever I'm confused, I just check my underwear. It holds the answer to all the important questions." Edward just smiled and laughed. I stood up from the couch and wandered towards his daunting CD collection, looking through them all with great interest. "I have this one," I said as I singled out 'Moondance' by Van Morrison.

"Good Choice," he said as he came up right behind me and peered over my shoulder. His taste in music was very eclectic. From Zepplin to Mozart, Foo Fighters to T.I., very interesting indeed. "Right now I am partial to this one," he said as he reached up and pulled out a purple CD. He carefully opened the case and slid it into his CD changer. When he finally handed me the case, a small smile crossed my lips, 'So Tonight That I Might See' by Mazzy Star. Total sex music. I owned this one too.

I turned around to head back to the couch and was met with his chest. His soft t-shirt covered chest. He hadn't moved. When the song started slowly, Edward reached his hand to my chin and tilted it up slowly. He leaned forward and pressed his firm yet soft lips to mine. As he wrapped his hands around my head, pulling me closer to him, it took all my energy not to push him right to the floor and have my way with him.

**Edward POV**

She tasted so good on my lips, I almost didn't want to pull away. I said almost, because the moment I pulled away, I could see the heat in her eyes and could tell that Bella wanted this just as much as I did. I moved towards her, and she moved backwards until she was up against the wall. I leaned down and kissed her with more fervor this time. The electricity between us was obvious as she grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it with frustration over my head. She kissed my chest lightly as I gripped her thigh and hooked her leg onto my hip. _This girl is too good for a fuck against my living room wall_.

I grabbed her other leg, pulling it up to my waist and she eagerly tightened both legs around me. I leaned my head down and began kissing and licking her neck, savoring the smell of her as I grasped her ass and started walking with her in my arms to my bedroom. The moment I put her down, she didn't seem tentative about this at all. She reached up and yanked my t-shirt from her now bare chest. _No fucking bra, I think I am in love._

"What?" she asked in confusion as I just stood there looking at her, gaping like a moron.

"Nothing," I said as I unbuttoned my jeans and moved closer to her on the bed. My lips immediately found hers again, as she used her feet to pull my jeans from my body. We lay together for a while on my bed simply exploring each other's bodies. We both still had on a pair of my boxer shorts, and I must admit, there is nothing sexier than Bella on my bed in my boxers only.

The music drifted in quietly from the living room, as I bent my head forward into the side of Bella's neck and nibble her ear softly. She moaned, and I made a mental note to remember that she enjoyed ear nibbling. As I continued biting her lobe, my hands wandered up and began gently kneading her supple breasts. Her hands ran down my back eagerly and her legs were now wrapped around my waist, pulling me into her. I could feel her excitement against my boxers and couldn't wait to be inside her.

I pulled back and propped myself on my knees in front of her. I was having a quandary of sorts. I couldn't wait to feel every inch of her wrapped around me, but I wanted to take my time with her and love her the way she deserved. I didn't get a choice in the matter because before I knew it, Bella had pulled my shorts down and was already expertly moving her lips around my cock.

"Fuck Bella," I groaned the moment I was buried in her mouth. "What are you doing to me?" I was being facetious, but she hardly noticed that I even spoke. She gripped my hips with her little hands and licked and sucked every inch of me. My hands instinctively wrapped themselves in her hair, but never once pushed her down onto me. She was doing way too good of a job for me to offer any assistance or direction. I could feel myself throbbing and aching with every single touch and after a few minutes, I had had enough. I was never one to turn down the best blow job of my life, but I wanted more.

As she pulled off of me for a moment, I grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back onto my bed. I stared at her again for a moment before reaching my hands up and pulling my boxers from her luscious body. I honestly thought she was the most beautiful and perfect woman I had ever had in my bed. I reached over to my nightstand and pulled out protection, which she eagerly assisted in putting into place. Before I knew it, she had pushed me onto my back and was getting ready to straddle me, and I wasn't complaining one bit. She had an aggressive streak, and I loved it.

She pounced on me quickly and before I knew it, I was completely buried inside her hot, wet body. It was heavenly, and I think that was an understatement. She grabbed onto my headboard and continued to slide her body up and down over me. When I reached for her clit between our writhing bodies, she arched her back and cried out in pleasure. When she leaned back, she immediately clutched the footboard of my bed, and her body was now almost completely parallel with mine. I was still buried into her, but I had easier access to her excitement, and the moment I touched her she shuddered.

I continued my machinations on her wet slit as I she ground into my cock, a little harder with each movement. Before I could forewarn her, I exploded deep inside her heat, and I pinched her clit, making her shake and shiver in release shortly after me. She straightened up her back a little bit, and I grabbed her by the hips and pulled her down beside me, as I wrapped my arms around her.

"Better than drinking and watching the Simpsons?" she asked as she lay quietly in my arms for a few moments.

"Oh hell yeah," I said happily as I kissed the back of her neck and held her a little tighter. She seemed just as comfortable as I was, content even, just lying here with the soothing sounds of Mazzy Star playing in the background.

"So Edward, tell me something you've never told anyone else," she said shyly as I reached down to the end of my bed and quickly and pulled a blanket over our naked bodies.

"I hate artichokes," I admitted while feeling remarkably stupid.

"Well, I'm not a fan either or brussel sprouts, or parsnips," she said as she laughed gently. I loved that laugh.

"Do you like any vegetables?"

"Yes, smart ass. I love carrots, potatoes, green beans, any kinds of lettuce, tomatoes although I suppose the argument could be made that they are actually fruit, but they are found with produce in my grocery store, not bananas, so what's with that?" I just laughed at her little rant about vegetables, finding it very endearing. "What kind of food do you like?"

"Umm… I guess I love Italian food, and Chinese. I love beef and noodles and sushi. Sometimes though I just like a big ol' cheeseburger with French fries," I said completely comfortable in her presence. "And you?"

"I loved every single thing my grandmother ever made me. I have all of her recipes at home, but never find the time or motivation to make anything," said Bella with a hint of sadness to her voice. I could easily assume that her grandmother had passed away. So I moved onto slightly happier topics.

"I still have the first teddy bear I got after I was born. It was from my great grandma Cullen and it is in box somewhere in my closet," I was opening up to her a little bit more. Even Alice didn't know I still had it.

"That is really adorable. So who's the guy in the photo with you and Alice on your dresser?" she asked curiously as she intertwined her fingers in mine.

"Why, you interested?" I smirked and she punched me lightly on the leg. "That's my brother Emmett. He's a year older than me and Alice."

"Are you guys' twins?" she asked eagerly.

"Yup," I confirmed for her, as I noticed she was starting to get a bit tired. I glanced over at the clock and noticed it was almost four in the morning.

"Very cool," said Bella as she yawned and grabbed my arm closer to her. Before I could say anything further, her eyes fluttered lightly and she fell asleep, in my arms.

"Very cool," I said quietly to myself as I watched her sleep.

The next morning I woke up feeling very cold and lonely. As I sat up slowly, I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room. Bella was gone. Her clothes were gone, my Armani t-shirt and boxers were gone too. I hoped that she was sitting in my living room reading one of my many books, or watching old episodes of the Simpsons or Undeclared. I wandered out to the kitchen and there was no such luck. There was however, a fresh pot of coffee and a note on my fridge.

_Edward, _

_Thanks. I don't ever do that. It's not my style, but I had fun._

_Bella._

Damn it. She was gone.


	3. Gone Baby Gone

**A/N: Boring day here in Vegas, so here's another chapter. Thanks to all the continuing readers from my previous stories, and all the new ones who have joined along. Please Review ******** Enjoy Milwaukee, you know who you are.**

**Same ol' disclaimer stuff, I don't own the characters, just my own words and the sound on the city streets and the beat of my own heart. (Special shout out if someone can tell me where those words at the end of my disclaimer are from)**

**Edward POV**

"Seriously Alice, just call her. You've got her fucking number," I pleaded with her, for the sixth time in two weeks. I hadn't seen or heard from Bella at all. I couldn't remember the number she left on Alice's phone and my sister refused to give it to me. She was being a royal pain in the ass and I was being an asshole. "I thought you would do anything for me Alice?" I was trying to lay a guilt trip, but it wasn't working.

"Edward, shut up," she chastised me.

"Seriously Alice, I can't stop thinking about this girl," I sounded agitated, obsessed even. No wonder Alice was inclined not to help me. She probably thought I would lock Bella up in my room and never let her leave. "What do I have to do?"

"First of all, you need to calm down and stop acting so psycho. It was a one-night stand, so get over her." She sighed into her cell phone.

"Okay, Alice, be logical. Have you ever seen me act this way after a one night stand?" I asked, curious as to her opinion on this topic. Not that we had discussed my sexual history at length, but she knew I didn't kiss and tell. If I thought Bella was some skank, I never would have mentioned her in the first place.

"No."

"Do you really think I would be this way if I thought it was only a one night stand?" I asked again.

"No, I guess not. What do you want from me? What on earth could I possibly do?" she said in frustration. Perhaps she was finally giving in and would call Bella for me.

"Come over later. I want you to call her and offer her a job photographing your next collection. Seriously, I'll pay all the expenses. The studio, the models, the expense of Bella, whatever the cost, I will pay it." I was desperate. I thought if Alice could hook up a photo shoot then I could casually come to visit and ask Bella out. It was simple really. I had after all had two weeks to plan it out. Two excruciating long weeks of hanging out at the dingy bar hoping she might walk in again. I was now close friends with James the bartender though. He liked the Family Guy and Iggy Pop. He wasn't all bad.

"Don't you mean Great Grandma Cullen's trust fund will pay for it?" she groaned back at me, clearly displeased at my planned use of funds.

"Whatever Alice. Will you help me? Aren't twins supposed to be in tune to the needs of their sibling?" I asked, trying again to guilt her into helping me.

"What are my needs Edward?" she asked angrily.

"Umm… you need to help me?" I said through clenched teeth and slight laughter. Alice said nothing, but had she been in the room at the time, I'm certain she would have thrown something very large at my head.

"Oh fine, but if she says no, I'm not helping any more. You can get the restraining order and stalker reputation all on your own," she huffed as she hung up. I was nervous now. Alice was actually going to help me in my effort to _woo_ Bella. Although, she didn't seem like the kind of girl that liked extravagant grand gestures. She seemed to like the little things, like vintage records, old comfortable sneakers and the Simpsons. When Alice arrived later that night, I was still apprehensive about the plan.

"Don't tell me you are going to back out of this now?" she said as she wandered into my apartment and sat down comfortably on my couch.

"No, I'm ready. I'm just not sure if I am ready for the rejection." I replied honestly.

"Edward, any girl would be seriously lucky to have you in their life. I know I am. If Bella doesn't want to do the shoot, then deal with it and move on. If it's meant to be, she'll end up in your life somehow, even if it's just as friends." Now this sounded like the Alice I knew. I probably called her at a stressful time this afternoon and should be glad that she even came over at all.

"Thanks Dr. Phil," I said as I handed her her cell phone, signaling I was ready for her to call. She dialed the number quickly, and waited patiently for a few moments.

"May I speak with Bella please?" said Alice as politely as she could muster. I kept giving her glances, wanting to know what was happening, but instead she wandered into my bedroom and locked the door. _I thought this was my plan_. I tried to put my ear to the door to listen to their conversation, but I was getting nowhere. Alice started walking around in her little heels, so all I could hear was the clacking of her shoes on the wooden floor. It was almost half an hour, and two shots of whiskey later, when Alice finally walked out of my room with a big smile on her face.

"She can't do it." She sighed as she sat at my kitchen table, as though she was exhausted. It was a damned phone call, it's not like I made her run the Boston Marathon in those little heels she was wearing.

"Why not?" I thought I could feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead, I was nervous and disappointed all at once.

"She's leaving in a few days to go to New York for two months. She'll be back just before New Years."

"New York? Shit." This wasn't good.

"She's going for some photography internship thing and a few jobs. She loves the idea of the photo session I mentioned to her and when she gets back, we're going to do the fall line in January. She seems like a very cool girl," added Alice mischievously.

"What does that mean Alice?" I was frustrated, angry, and sad, every single emotion was pulsing through me.

"I'm meeting her for coffee at my office tomorrow to review her portfolio. I want to make sure her style is a good fit for my company," said Alice as she nervously fingered her cell phone. "No, you can't come."

"Oh come on Alice? Why not?"

"Easy, I don't want to live through 2 months of you missing Bella if you do come and see her again. Why don't you just take it easy till New Years? I invited her to my annual party so you will see her then." I was happy, but only for a moment.

"She said she was coming right?" I pictured Bella all dressed up in some gorgeous gown and I would saunter over to her and proposition her in some funny way and she wouldn't say no and we'd run to Vegas and get married.

"Slow down Edward. She said she would let me know when we met tomorrow because she had some plans with some friends. I told her to bring them, the more the merrier. Maybe she'll bring some cute friends and Emmett can find someone too." Alice stood up and grabbed her coat, apparently eager to get out after making the embarrassing call I forced her to make.

"Now you are hooking up Emmett?" I sighed and hugged her before she wandered out the door and back to her studio, where she would inevitably fall asleep on her lumpy couch after designing dozens of outfits that she will just determine were ugly when she woke up the next morning.

Perfectionism, it was a Cullen family trait. It drove us all insane. I did it constantly when I was working. My stories to the paper were always a little later than necessary, but they never complained, probably because my grandfather owns the company. The little work I did on my novel always came off as insincere when I reviewed it later, which is probably why I haven't done much work on it recently.

I poured myself another shot of Whiskey and wandered to the big window in my living room, looking out at the Chicago skyline. I wondered what Bella was doing. Probably packing for her big trip Two months wouldn't be too long. Suddenly I got a brilliant idea, pulled out my laptop and began typing.

**Bella POV**

"Rosalie, you will never guess who just called me?" I screamed as I hung up my cell phone and threw it onto the couch. I would have jumped on the couch and done a little dance, but our couch was yellow and Rosalie would probably start calling me Tom Cruise for the next three months, and I couldn't have that.

"Dorthea Lange?" groaned Rosalie as she wandered unhappily into the living room. I instantly assumed that she had broken up with latest rich s.o.b of the week that she had claimed to be in love with.

"No Rose, she's dead, but kudos to actually paying attention to something I care about," I said sarcastically before moving onto happier subjects. "Alice Cullen."

"Why the hell would Alice Cullen call you Bella?" she asked curiously. Rosalie was actually interested in the conversation now, probably because she had drooled over Alice's collections for two seasons now. Rose had been modeling casually for a few years now and had become obessed with fashion, even more than she was before. She loved Alice's fashions and wished she could actually afford them. This was probably why she dated all the rich assholes she did, to get into their wallets.

"We met through an acquaintance," I said casually, not really wanting to get into the specifics on my one-night stand with her twin brother, because Rose had been left out of that situation completely. "Anyways, it was a few weeks ago and she must have found out that I was a photographer and called to see if I was interested in doing the shoot for her spring line catalog. I can't do it though cause I'm leaving for New York in a few days. "I felt so bad for having to turn Alice down, but thankfully she was very sweet about everything.

"You turned down Alice Cullen, are you crazy? Vogue has declared her the next big designer, Bella. You just don't turn down Alice Cullen."

"I might be a little crazy, but apparently so is she because I'm getting together with her tomorrow to go over my portfolio and discuss me shooting either the summer or fall collections." Rosalie turned to me and actually looked excited. Then she got a little twinkle in her eye and I knew she was up to no good. "Whatever it is you are thinking about Rosalie, the answer is no."

"Oh come on Bella, I haven't even had the chance to ask yet," she huffed as she crossed her arms in front of her and started pouting.

"Seriously Rosalie, pouting? What are you five?" I said as I went to the fridge to get a drink.

"It works with the guys I date," she said quietly.

"And it appears that you are single again, so maybe you should reconsider the pouting it clearly hasn't gotten you anywhere." I sighed and sat back down with her on the couch, sipping at my Diet Pepsi. "Oh, but I have some other exciting news. Alice has invited us to her New Years Eve party, and since I figured you have officially broken up with Steve, or Sam or whatever the hell his name was, now we can go right?"

"Fuck Yeah, I wouldn't miss one of Alice Cullen's parties, especially now that I am actually invited," joked Rosalie happily. "Although it will probably take me the two months up to the party to find something to wear. Maybe I'll come to the big apple for a few days and we can shop together." _Oh joy, how I loved to shop_. I might as well just go shove my head in an oven, not that it would do much, probably just singe my hair or something. Then I would have to listen to Rosalie bitch about my hair for a while. So, I'm going shopping.

"I know it's a while away, but I want you on your best behavior Ms. Hale," I said with a groan. "This could be a big job for me, and I don't want you and your slutty ways ruining anything for me. If Alice has a boyfriend, leave him alone. Find ANYONE else. Deal?" Rosalie nodded her head and just smiled.

"I hear she's got two hot brothers, maybe they will be there and I can hook up with one of them."

"They're off limits too," I said as I crossed my arms over my chest, giving her the look that said I mean business. The last thing in the world I needed was for Rosalie to hook up with Edward. He's too smart for her anyways, definitely not his type.

"Fine. You suck though Bella," moaned Rosalie as she wandered back to her bedroom.

"I've never had any complaints, Rose," I yelled after her. I headed into my own room and pulled out my portfolio. It had been a while since I had to show it to a prospective client, so I spent the rest of the night reorganizing and adding new photos that showcased my range as a photographer, even though Alice only really needed the fashion shots I had done.

I was nervous for the rest of the night, into the next morning. I did my best to get as much sleep as possible before finally giving up and hoping into the shower. My appointment was in an hour, and I grabbed my laptop and searched on Google Maps for the address she gave me so I knew where it was. It was only 45 minutes later when I pulled up in front of her building, a big warehouse, with a small sign on the outside door that said _Alice Cullen Designs_. At least I knew I was in the right spot and she wasn't going to have me killed or something.

There was a bright receptionist area with a brainy looking brunette behind the desk. The inside of the building looked a lot safer than outside, I could definitely attest to that.

"Bella Swan, here to meet with Alice Cullen," I said politely.

"Wonderful, I'll let her know you are here," said the receptionist, whose name I found out was Angela as one of her co-workers came to ask a question of her. I had a feeling she was a lot more than a receptionist around here. I waited patiently for a couple of minutes before Alice came down from her office to join me.

"Bella, it's great to finally meet you," she said happily as I extended my hand for a handshake. She ignored it and went right in for a big hug. "I have a feeling we will be great friends," she said as she led me into a lovely little conference room and closed the door behind us. Coffee, tea and muffins were already laid out on the table and I took a seat, clutching my portfolio for dear life.

"It's nice to finally meet you too Alice. Thanks to my roommate, I've been kept abreast about every aspect of your career. She is practically obsessed, and in turn, made me pretty obsessed with your style and designs." _Great, I'm sounding like a stalker._ I sighed as she just looked at me and smiled.

"Who's your roommate? Anyone cool?" she asked as she poured herself a cup of tea and grabbed a blueberry muffin.

"Um, she's Rosalie Hale. I'm not sure if you've heard of her she…"

"Rosalie Hale the model? Yeah, I've heard of her. I loved the work she did for the Mizrahi spread a few years ago. I actually had her in mind for a few shows I did, but she always ended up being busy according to her agent." Rosalie was going to completely freak if she found out her agent hadn't hooked her up with Alice Cullen. "You should bring her to the New Year's Party so I can convince her to do my next show."

"I doubt there will be a lot of convincing needed. In fact, she wanted me to put in a good word for her, and I can see now that it is not necessary. She's excited to come to the party, so you will definitely get a chance to meet her." I said happily, wondering nervously when we would get to the topic of my photographs.

"So, show me what you got, so I can I pretend to hate them and offer you the job anyways," she joked as she took a sip of her chai tea. I handed her my portfolio and let her go through it at her own pace. I always hated pretentious photogs who would tell you the point and meaning behind each photo. Some of my best photos had no meaning behind them whatsoever. "You're actually good. I thought my brother was kidding."

Alice covered her mouth quickly, as though she had said something she wasn't supposed to. I looked at her, very curious now.

"Did Edward have something to do with this?" I asked, as I looked around the room carefully, as though I expected him to hop out from behind a potted plant or something.

"No, he just mentioned you were a photographer that was it. I'm always looking for new talent, and I think you would be perfect to shoot the fall collections in mid January. Are you available?" I nodded my head tentatively. "Great! The fee is $5,000 for the day. Angela out front will give you the necessary forms etc… you send them back as soon as you can and don't forget to bring Rosalie to the party. I'm dying to meet her," said Alice excitedly as she hopped from her chair, gave me another hug and bounced out of the room. She was certainly a strange little creature, but I liked her. I left after picking up my paperwork from Angela and began wondering what the part Edward Cullen had in all of this, and what else he had told his sister.


	4. Under Pressure

**A/N: I've found some sort of inspiration, so here is tonight's chapter. I should have one more up tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews. The more reviews, the quicker the chapters. **

***disclaimer stuff goes here. Not my characters, all my words, blah blah blah.***

**Edward POV**

It had been two long months, luckily I had the novel and of course my day job, to keep me occupied. It was finally New Years Eve and Alice had called earlier in the day to make sure I'd be coming to the party.

"Alice, for the hundredth time, I will be there. Even Emmett is coming. He's on his way to my place right now and we're going to hang out for a bit before heading to your place." I had been trying to calm her fears for days about this damned party. She held it every year for the past five years, but each year she got increasingly more nervous about it. If she kept this up, I would seriously consider admitting her to a mental hospital just so she wouldn't have to throw the damned thing. "Is Bella still coming?" I asked trying to sound casual.

"Yes, Edward, Bella is still coming to the party. When we talked yesterday she was all excited. She's bringing her roommate Rosalie with her, so that should be interesting. Emmett will probably try to hook up with her the moment he walks in the room," said Alice sounding a bit calmer, but still frustrated that I asked yet again about Bella.

"Why the hell would Emmett care about her roommate?"

"Umm… cause Emmett has a thing for models, and Rosalie is one of them. I'm gonna try and talk to her about being in my next show." Great, Emmett would probably hit it off with the model and I could have Bella's attention all to myself. This actually sounded good to me. "By the way, Jasper will be there, so remind Emmett to be on his best behavior."

Jasper was Alice's new boyfriend, and no one in the family had met him yet. She wasn't usually secretive about the guys she dated, but it was generally shortly after they met Emmett that they broke up with her, so it didn't surprise me that she had taken so long to introduce him to anyone in the Cullen family. I assured Alice, once again, that her party would be perfect and the Chicago elite would be talking about it for months and that Emmett and I would behave ourselves around Jasper.

Emmett arrived just after six and we had a quick dinner and got dressed to go to Alice's. We still had some time to kill, so I suggested we head to the bar down the street to have a drink, before hailing a cab to the party.

"Edward, surprised to see you here tonight," said James the bartender as he pulled out my usual bottle of Glenfiddich and poured me a drink.

"Come here often, bro?" asked Emmett with a small laugh. "Are you like their 'Norm'?"

"Not quite. I'm not here on a daily basis, but I come often enough," I said casually as I took a sip of my drink.

"Can I get a Corona?" asked Emmett as he effortlessly went back to the conversation we were having on our walk over from my apartment. "So, is it too much to ask that there be a few supermodels at this party? She's a fashion designer, but she never hooks me up with any of the damned models. Alice should hang out with only models."

"Nice theory Emmett, but I know Alice doesn't hang with models. She's a little more educated than that. Did you ever think that maybe she never sets you up with any models because she wants to be able to work with them again?" I said trying to be a bit serious. "You tend to hump em and dump em. Isn't that your preferred term?"

"I'm growing up and maturing Edward. I think I'm ready to settle down."

"And you want to settle with a supermodel?" I said curiously, trying to stifle my laughter.

"Well, better than some homely chick who drinks MDG and loves hockey." I just laughed at the sheer stupidity that is my brother and took another sip of my drink.

"Whatever happened with that hot chick you met here a couple of months ago?" asked James as he handed Emmett his beer.

"Dude, are you withholding info from me?" asked Emmett, eager for details on my non-existent sex life.

"She was hot man. Long brown hair, big brown eyes and nice legs. They sat here for hours before we had to close the bar and they left together," said James, clearly not ashamed at sharing all the details with Emmett, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Is this why I've barely heard two words from you in the past month?" He asked as I frowned slightly.

"No Emmett, I've been working on my book. I've told you that like thirty fucking times. Nothing happened with her," I lied. "She left for New York and I haven't heard from her. End of story. New topic of discussion," I said trying to sound cool and relaxed, when inside I was bursting with excitement to see her tonight. Part of me wanted to tell Emmett the truth, but not in front of James. I would tell him before we got to Alice's.

We left the bar one hour and two drinks later, and both of us were in fairly good moods. When we finally got in the cab that James called for us, I decided to tell Emmett a bit about Bella.

"So, Emmett about that girl that James mentioned," I started out slowly.

"Your dating her huh? When do we get to meet her?"

"I'm not dating her, but she's gonna be at the party tonight. Her and Alice have become friends." Emmett cocked an eye brow at me, curious to know how that happened. "Don't ask. Just steer clear of her though. I really like this one and I don't need your help to fuck it up."

"That's right Edward, you always manage to fuck it up without me right?" he laughed as he punched me lightly on the shoulder.

"On a positive note, according to Alice she is bringing her roommate, some model chick, so you have something to look forward to," I said, switching topics so that I didn't need to tell him anymore about Bella. For the rest of the cab ride, he talked about which models he thought were the hottest and what qualities he liked. It was really kind of scary. Just before we hopped out of the cab, I finally remembered something to tell him. "Oh, and Alice said we needed to be extra nice, Jasper's gonna be here. So no scaring him away. Not tonight anyways." Emmett shook his head in agreement and we paid for the ride and headed into Alice's building.

Our parents had always been a little more extravagant with Alice, so when they decided to buy us all apartments, as an investment, Alice got a penthouse with views of Lake Michigan. I didn't complain, I loved my apartment, but hers was just so damned huge. It was a benefit on nights like tonight when she had 200 people invited over for a party.

"Edward, Emmett," she screamed the moment we walked in the door. She had a DJ playing tons of random music, trying to please everyone as per usual. "It's about time."

"We're not late Alice. If it was 12:01, we'd be late." Said Emmett as he gave her a big hug and finally put her back down on the floor. "Now where is this model you ordered for me?"

"Thanks Edward," Alice spit sarcastically at me. "I didn't order you a model Em. She's coming with a friend of mine. I really want to work with this girl so don't fuck it up for me." She glared at Emmett and he took the hint.

"Fine Alice, but if she wants me, who am I to say no?" Emmett was such a selfish prick sometimes; I really had to wonder if he was adopted. If he didn't look so much like Esme, I would be certain he was. We wandered up to the bar together and I asked the bartender for my own bottle of Glenfiddich, why waste a glass. Emmett took two Coronas, just in case he passed a beautiful woman, he said happily and we wandered around the huge room aimlessly.

It was about half an hour later when I noticed Bella walk in with some statuesque blonde. I nudged Emmett and had him look towards the door. "That's Bella and the blonde must be Rosalie," I said as I saw his mouth hang wide open. They both looked absolutely gorgeous. Bella's hair was curly and loose, whereas Rosalie's was pulled back on top of her head. Bella wore a simple black dress, and Rosalie was in a skin tight red dress that went to the floor.

"Edward, that's Rosalie Hale," breathed Emmett slowly. I grabbed his chin and closed his mouth, hoping that no one saw him looking like a complete idiot. "I told you man, I'm gonna marry a supermodel." He joked as he immediately started to walk towards her.

"Take it easy man. It's only 9:30. Do you really want to look that desperate?" Emmett nodded his head in agreement and we walked over to Alice, who was talking with some tall, thin blonde guy who we assumed was Jasper.

"Edward, Emmett… this is Jasper. Jasper, these are my brothers," said Alice as she kept her arm tucked in under Jasper's. He extended his hand to us politely. Well, he seemed nice enough.

"Nice to meet you man," said Emmett as he leaned over to Alice and whispered something I couldn't hear. Alice just scowled and turned back to our conversation, completely ignoring whatever it was he said. Emmett and I both agreed to try and play it as cool as possible, so we headed to the bar together so that Emmett could get himself another drink. He gave his first two to a couple of trashy looking blondes who were standing near the kitchen.

"A corona," he said to the bartender again.

"Gin and Tonic," said Bella as she ordered her drink, not noticing I was 3 feet away from her. "What do you want Rosalie?"

"I'll have whatever he's having," said Rosalie as she pointed happily at Emmett. Bella turned around and was shocked to see me standing there.

"Another Corona then," said Emmett as he continued to face the bartender. His smile was so huge; I thought his face might crack from the pressure.

**Bella POV**

Rosalie took so long getting ready, I seriously considered leaving her behind and going to the party without her. Of course, I knew I couldn't do that. When I got home she would surely force some sort of torture on me, like shoving bamboo under my fingernails or making me listen to the new Britney Spears album. I couldn't handle either, so I waited. It was just past nine when she emerged looking like the goddess she was. Her hair was up in a chic little updo and her dress looked like it was practically painted on.

"Are we going to the playboy mansion? You look like one of those painted ladies I always see on Girls Next Door." I laughed as she grabbed her purse and led me from the apartment.

"Bella, why are you watching the Girls Next Door?"

"It's on after 'The Soup'. You know I am obsessed with Joel McHale. If only he was single," I added dreamily. Rosalie just laughed at me as we headed downstairs and hailed a cab to Alice's penthouse.

When we finally walked into the party, Rosalie's shoulders were straight, and she looked like the owned the place. I glanced around quickly hoping to find Alice, but I didn't see her anywhere. There had to be at least 150 people there already and there was 2 ½ hours until midnight. Rose and I insisted on getting there early so we could talk a little business, but I see now that it would be virtually impossible. The music was loud, the drinks were free and it was packed. I would just enjoy myself. After the stress of my trip to New York, I needed to relax.

We headed over to the bar and I quickly ordered a Gin and Tonic. Rosalie was distracted from the moment we stepped over to the bar.

"I'll have what he's having," she said huskily as she pointed to the fairly tall, very built, curly haired brunette beside me at the bar.

"Another Corona then," said the man as he tipped the bartender and turned around, with his friend. _Edward._

"Bella," he said politely. "This is my older brother Emmett. Emmett this is Bella."

"Oh hi," I said, actually surprised to see him, even though he was Alice's brother. I shouldn't be so shocked. _Close your mouth Bella Swan._" Sorry, Edward and Emmett, this is Rosalie Hale."

"Nice to meet you Emmett," said Rosalie as she extended her hand and started to work her magic. Part of me wanted to crawl into a hole and die. I had avoided Edward for two months now, of course I was out of state, but still it was avoidance. Rosalie and Emmett immediately hit it off and started chatting as though they had known each other for years, not seconds.

"How are you?" asked Edward casually as he handed me my gin and tonic.

"Tired. I just got back from New York yesterday," He looked genuinely interested in what I had to say, and he definitely looked sexy in that suit. He was sexier in nothing, but the suit worked too. "I was away on a photography internship and took a few jobs while I was there. I'm glad to be back home."

"I'm glad to have you back," he added casually as he took a drink from his bottle of whisky.

"No glass?" I asked curiously as I pointed at his bottle.

"Why bother? It's not like I'm drinking from the tap of the keg. I figured I would probably drink a whole bottle tonight anyways. It's New Years Eve after all," he said as he laughed. I nodded my head in agreement and took a big gulp from my drink. "Take it easy, you have all night." I wanted to walk away from him and go find Alice or Rosalie, who had mysteriously disappeared, but I couldn't. Instead I followed him as he walked to towards the large windowed wall of the penthouse and we started to talk about the most meaningless shit.

"So New York was stressful?" he asked as he looked out at the view of the city, with Lake Michigan in the background.

"It actually wasn't overly exciting. When I wasn't in a darkroom somewhere, I was being shuttled between sites and jobs. I hardly saw any of the city. Rosalie was supposed to come visit for a few days, but she got a job down in L.A., so I just worked some more." I said, slightly flustered. I wasn't nearly as cool tonight as I thought I would be.

"Don't worry you haven't missed anything here. There was the one time I got recruited to be an astronaut, and then I became a stonecutter, that was a fun time. Emmett and I started a barbershop quartet with James the bartender and Alice's boyfriend Jasper. It was boring as hell." He said in all seriousness and I laughed so hard my side started hurting.

"Well Homer, I started my own pretzel company, tried to be a cop and painted Mr. Burns in the nude. The thought still sends shivers down my spine." I started to giggle uncontrollably.

Edward then leaned into my ear and softly whispered, "You send shivers down my spine." I was screwed. I wanted to tell him that he couldn't say stuff like that to me, but deep down, I really wanted to hear it. Just before I could respond, Alice bounced over to us with a huge grin on her face.

"Welcome back Bella. I am so glad you could make it. Where's Rosalie?" I shrugged my shoulders and looked casually around the room.

"I'm not sure, but if you find your big brother, you will probably find her." I snickered as she gave me a sour expression.

"Alice, it was out of my hands. Rosalie came on to him first," said Edward, trying to be supportive. Alice just wandered away, promising to talk with me again before the end of the night.

"What was that about?"

"Oh, Alice doesn't like Emmett to hook up with her models, or potential models. He always dumps them and they never want to work with Alice again. She just doesn't want it to happen with Rosalie, but the moment Emmett saw her walk in, I think he fell in love." He said easily as he took another swig from his bottle.

"Don't worry, if Rosalie likes him that much, she'll knock that shit out of him fast," I joked as I headed back to the bar for a refill. "It was funny because when I invited Rose to the party with me, she said that Alice supposedly had two hot brothers and she would hook up with one of you."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, but she doesn't know about what happened between us, so I guess I got lucky that she picked Emmett." I said quickly, without realizing what I had said. He just cocked his eye brow and looked at me curiously. "I didn't mean it like that; I mean that Emmett would have been disappointed with me if Rosalie had picked you."

"And what if she had picked me?" he asked inquisitively. His deep green eyes were practically sparkling at me, as he smiled a huge grin.

"You would have had an interesting night, and an excruciating morning," I joked as I picked up my latest drink and took a sip.

"You wouldn't have been jealous?" he asked, still curious.

"Edward, you would have been bored to death. After five minutes of conversation with her, you would have come to find me to discuss literature, comics, music, anything other than what Rose wanted to talk about." I said confidently.

"Wanna bet?" he asked eagerly. "I bet I can handle five minutes of conversation with Rosalie, and if I win, I get to dance with you."

"What if I win?" I asked, excited to prove him wrong.

"You get to dance with me?" laughed Edward.

"It's the same prize moron. I've only had two drinks, not a bottle," I chuckled as I looked at his almost empty bottle of whiskey.

"Ok, you name the prize and it's yours." He smiled as he headed back to the bar and asked for another bottle. I agreed to the deal and watched from afar as he went to talk to Rosalie. He would never be able to do it. Rose likes to talk about Oprah, cupcakes and teacup poodles. I glanced at the clock on the mantel of the fireplace, practically counting down the seconds. I watched as his mouth moved ever so slightly as he talked to her. He didn't fidget or fuss; in fact, he didn't even take a drink to ease the pain of the conversation. It was over five minutes later when he finally walked back to me.

"Ok, we get to dance." He smiled as he took a sip of his drink.

"What did you get her to talk about for so long, without wanting to off yourself?" I laughed as I peered over at Rosalie, who was now talking to Emmett and Angela, the receptionist from Alice's studio.

"Simple, I asked her about herself. All girls like to talk endlessly about themselves, plus Emmett now has a ton of information on her," he said smugly as he grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor as a slow song came on the speakers.

"Fucker," I muttered. He didn't play fair.


	5. A Hard Days Night

**A/N: Another update. Yipee. I doubt there will be another one available until later tonight. Friday's are my busy day. Enjoy regardless. Thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews, especially lovebugkiss. Thanks ya'll.**

***Disclaimer junk here. Characters belong to SM, words belong to coldplaywhore or LG ***

**Edward POV**

The bet between Bella and I worked nicely in my favor. I hardly heard a word that Rosalie said about herself. I think there was something said about pink and cupcakes, but I didn't care. Emmett, however, was enthralled by every word that came from her mouth, so I felt kind of good to be able to help him out. When I wandered back over to Bella and insisted our dance, she was clearly flustered.

"Fucker," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" I asked smugly as I pulled her onto the dance floor just as 'Colors' by Amos Lee poured from the speakers.

"You don't play fair," she admitted as I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her carefully along the floor.

"You never said I had to play fair," I added, with a big grin across my face. She just looked even more frustrated, but continued along with our dance. I figured if she was that pissed about it, she would have left me standing there looking like a complete jackass.

"You know you are jackass, right?" she said as she gripped her hand in mine a little tighter.

"You don't seem to be complaining? I mean, we had fun two months ago, and now you're back for more." I was being overly confident at this point. The whiskey was really starting to kick in and I hoped she found it funny as opposed to revolting.

"You're right. I'm not complaining. You're funny, entertaining, smart and sexy. I would probably even go for a second round with you, but I don't think it's that good of an idea," she admitted as her head fell against my shoulder.

"Why not? Do I need my sister to confirm my nice guy status again?"

"No Edward, you are clearly a nice guy, I can see this for myself. I just don't think it's a good time to get involved with someone. I got out of a relationship not too long before we met and I'm just not ready."

"That's okay, I can wait." I said confidently. "You're far too sexy and intriguing to walk away from. Anyways, I listened to Rosalie talk about cupcakes for five torturous minutes; I can wait a bit for you." She gave a slight smile and we continued our dance, not even noticing that the song had completely changed. A few minutes later, Alice was at our side again, pulling Bella away for a conversation with her and Rosalie. Emmett wandered over to the bar to get another drink and I joined him.

"How's it going?" I asked, knowing full well he was probably going home with her tonight.

"Dude, I think I'm in love," said Emmett, looking as serious I had ever seen him.

"How many of those have you had to drink you idiot?" I said as I pointed to his beer. He reached his hand out and was able to count 8 on both hands. "Eight, seriously dude, you're not in love, you're drunk."

"Whatever man, how's it going with the smoking hot brunette?"

"It's going… I think it's going to take a while though," I admitted glumly. He hit me gently on the shoulder as if to say 'keep your chin up' and then headed off into the crowd. I wandered with my half empty, or half full depending on your outlook, bottle of whiskey to the wall of windows. I found the door leading out to the balcony, and stepped into the cool night air. Definitely better than a swift kick in the nuts to wake you up. I was alone, and even though I could still hear the music, it felt good to be out of the masses.

"Why the fuck are you out here catching hypothermia?" asked Bella as she stepped out onto the balcony a little while later. "How long have you been standing here?"

"I don't know, when did you go off to talk with my sister?" I asked, noticing my teeth chattering lightly.

"Almost half an hour ago. Don't tell me you've been standing out here that long?" I just nodded my head and she grabbed my hand and led me back inside. "Don't be such a moron Edward. It's almost midnight."

"I wasn't being a moron. I was just enjoying the night air and my trusty, and now empty bottle of whiskey here," I said as I held the bottle up for her inspection. She took it from me and placed it on the kitchen counter before leading me upstairs to Alice's bedroom. "I thought you didn't want to sleep with me again?" I asked angrily as she sat me down on the bed and disappeared into Alice's bathroom.

"I never said that, I said I didn't want to start a relationship with you. However, right now I want to sober you up, otherwise you won't enjoy anything when it hits midnight." She was being way too sweet to me considering I was now completely smashed on whiskey. She got me a glass of water and some Advil from Alice's bathroom and forced me to take them.

"So, you do want to sleep with me?" I slurred at her, as she stood before me, still looking as sexy as ever.

"Edward, don't make me leave you here," she said forcefully as she started to walk away.

"Don't go," I called out to her, and she walked back and leaned against Alice's dresser. After almost 10 minutes of silence between us, we could hear Alice downstairs on the loudspeaker wishing everyone a happy new year and thanking them for coming. Then she started the countdown to midnight. The voices of everyone in the apartment filled the air, and Bella shut the door to try to drown them out. It wasn't really helping.

"Do you feel better?" she asked, as the countdown hit 5.

"Much better, thank you." I mumbled as I stood up in front of her. The moment I heard the number one screamed out from the masses on the main floor, I leaned down and kissed her. I was shocked that it wasn't some sloppy drunken kiss, given my current condition. It was gentle, tender, sweet and she definitely responded. Her mouth opened slightly and I ran my tongue along it gently before she sucked my tongue into her mouth and began kissing me passionately. My mind kept racing, thinking about how I could get her to come home with me. How I could sober up as quickly as possible so I could have sex with her again. How I could make her mine on a more permanent basis.

Bella pulled away and grabbed my hand gently. "Let's go," she said as she opened the door to Alice's room and led me back down the stairs.

"I will go wherever the hell you want me to go," I said happily, focusing all my energy on not falling down the steps. She glanced around the room, trying to locate Rosalie and found her sucking face with Emmett in a corner.

"We're leaving," said Bella as she poked Rosalie on the shoulder, trying to get her attention.

"I'm not leaving," said Rosalie defiantly. Then she turned around and noticed I was standing with Bella.

"No, we're leaving," she said as she motioned her fingers between her and I. That's right. Bella and I were leaving together. Would it be stupid to hop on the counter and yell it out to everyone? Probably, yeah. "If you see Alice, let her know I will call her later to finalize the plans for the photo shoot." Rosalie just nodded her head and shot me a disturbing glance before latching herself onto my brother's face again.

We slowly made our way downstairs, after grabbing Bella's coat and hopped in the first cab we could get.

"487 Thomas Street," she said to the driver, as she shifted uncomfortably in the seat.

"You remember my address?" I asked astonished. It had been two months and she remembered my address. I took this as a positive sign.

"Yeah, call it a photographic memory," she joked as she laid her head back against the seat.

"By the way, since when are you a kleptomaniac?" I asked harmlessly, thinking about the clothes she had stolen from me two months ago.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, pretending to be offended.

"My boxers and my favorite beat up Armani t-shirt went missing about two months ago, after I had incredible sex with this beautiful alluring woman. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" I said this a little louder than necessary and the driver chuckled quietly to himself.

"Okay, fine. I stole them. They were so damned comfortable though. You should have offered up some clothes you didn't like, then it would have been a moot point," said Bella as she pulled gently at her hair, pulling out some pins of some sort and letting her hair fall into her face.

"You are so beautiful," I said as I swept a few stray hairs behind her ears.

"And you Edward Cullen are absolutely hammered."

**Bella POV**

I tried to help Edward up to his apartment, but he finally seemed to be doing well on his own again. I don't know why he stood out in the freezing cold night for like half an hour, but at least he was feeling better. When he quizzed me about his address, I blushed immediately. I brushed it off because I didn't want to tell him that in my utter boredom in New York, I had Googled him for more information. He came from a rich family, didn't really need to work, but he obviously liked too, and of course, I got his address. I had entered it as a note in my iPhone, in case I was ever drunk again and needed to get laid. I was almost certain he would be willing. Just like tonight.

Nothing much had changed in his apartment in two months. There was a large stack of papers beside his desk, and a few glasses on the counter, but it still looked the same. Comfortable, lived in. He started to wander back into his bedroom, and I knew instantly he was going to get changed.

"Oh no you don't," I groaned as I followed him. He was already tugging on his tie trying to pull it off. "I'm not wearing this damned dress all night if you get comfy in shorts. Find me some clothes to wear Edward." I said as I plopped myself down on his bed, waiting for him to throw me something comfortable to wear. There was nothing. He just kept undressing. "Earth to Edward?"

"I wasn't getting changed, I was getting undressed so I could have sex with you," he said honestly, even though I was shocked.

"What makes you think I want to have sex with you again?" I asked with a smug grin across my face. I pulled my shoes off and tossed them into the corner of his room.

"You know you want me." I said nothing to this. "Admit it Bella. Why else are you here?"

"I wanted to make sure you got home safely." I lied.

"You could have put me in a cab and gave him my address. I'm sure he wouldn't have chopped my arms off in a dark alleyway." He laughed as he unbuttoned his shirt and threw it into the corner with my shoes. Seeing him here in front of me and shirtless, I was beginning to forget why I had brought him home in the first place. "Am I wrong?"

"Of course, you're wrong Edward." I lied again. He walked closer to me, and put both of his hands on the bed, surrounding my body and his face was equal with mine.

"You don't want me?" I had no response. His face was so close to mine, his lips looking so inviting, that I just gave up. I could solve my problems in the morning. I wrapped my hands around his neck and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. My lips covering his, fitting perfectly. His hands now held my hips and he pushed me back onto the bed, lying gently on top of me and spreading my legs eagerly. "I thought you didn't want me?" he said again as he pulled away from me slowly.

"I want you right now," I breathed huskily, as he yanked at the zipper on the back of my dress and pulled it down swiftly.

"I've wanted to do that to you all night," he whispered into my ear, as he pulled on the hem of my dress and slid it over my head, throwing it away into the room. His hands roamed my almost naked body and he was surprisingly focused and gentle considering how much he had to drink at the party. He started trailing kisses down my neck towards my breasts, but stopped for a moment, as though he was admiring them, and then kissed the other side of my neck. The entire time I was away in New York, I had thought of him. I had thought of being in his arms again and holding him tight. Of him making love to me, and it sounded so ridiculous at the time, that I laughed lightly at the fact that here I was again, in his bed.

"What's so funny?" he asked as he began kissing across my stomach and down to my thighs. The moment he kissed my inner thigh, I could no longer remember what was funny. This was certainly not funny, this was erotic, hot, sexy, enticing, excruciating slow, but it was definitely not funny.

"Nothing", I replied breathlessly as he continued to kiss all over my inner thighs, before he wrapped his fingers around the waistband of my lace panties and pulled them off, leaving me naked in front of him.

"Are you sure it's nothing?" he asked, as his warm breath eased over my wetness.

"Uh huh," I said tentatively. I was so eager for him to continue, yet at the same time my brain kept telling me I couldn't start a relationship with this guy. I wasn't ready. I was ready for this though, as he ran his fingers down between my wet lips and I moaned in delight. It was almost involuntary how much I wanted him. I spread my legs eagerly and Edward immediately started to make me writhe beneath his fingers and his tongue. He was kissing my stomach gently as he slid one finger inside me, penetrating me slowly. I kept biting my lower lip to keep from screaming out his name, which would just be more fuel for the fire.

He was gentle and caring with his every touch. Each lick, kiss or suckle of my skin was done with genuine purpose and I needed them, like I needed air to breathe. I craved everything about Edward Cullen at this very moment. Tomorrow it might all go away, but in this instant, he was mine. As I felt his tongue run along my wetness, I shivered softly. He took his sweet time pleasing me, licking every inch, exploring every nook and freckle and doing so with more enthusiasm than I had ever seen. When my back bent back quickly, he knew I was about to release, and his mouth was immediately covering my warmth, licking me and flicking my clit between his teeth. It didn't take long for me to finally scream out his name while gripping his sheets, panting heavily.

Edward was beside me immediately once I had come down, his jeans and boxers now tossed somewhere in the darkness. There was a small light coming in from the curtains on his window, but it only illuminated part of the bed, no part of the room was actually visible. Edward put a hand on either side of my head and bent slowly to kiss me. The moment his lips found mine, I was overcome with various different emotions, all of which I had been trying to deny myself for the past few months. I grabbed his neck and pulled him closer to me, as I felt his hardness at my entrance. I was desperate to feel him inside me, and before I could lean up and tell him to 'just do it already', I felt him slide into me.

"Edward," I moaned unintentionally, as I realized that this was even better than the last time. He moved into me slowly and with purpose, staring at my face for my reaction.

"Yes?" he asked, assuming my moan of passion was a question.

"Nothing," I replied hastily, as I wrapped my legs around him, urging him into me. He didn't respond, instead opting to pick up the pace of his motions. He bent his head forward and started to suck on my nipples as my hands gripped his hair in pleasure. It was getting to be too much for me, he was way too good at this.

"Fuck Me," I yelled out as the wave of pleasure wrapped over me. I tightened my muscles and my legs around Edward, urging him to come with me, but it wasn't needed. The moment I shuddered and came, he froze slightly, leaning back from me, and releasing deep inside of me. When he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to mine, it was heavenly. I kissed him gently, as though to thank him.

Edward rolled to the side and eagerly pulled me into his arms. I couldn't move. I don't think I wanted to. I let his hands caress me gently as I put my head on his chest and fell asleep.

**Edward POV**

When I woke up around nine the next morning, I was shocked to see Bella still lying in my arms. _Thank you god!_ I thought to myself as I watched her sleep peacefully. I pulled my arm gently from underneath her head, trying not to move her, and was very proud of myself when I finally stood from the bed, successful in my attempt to let her sleep some more. I quickly put on some boxers shorts and looked around at the mess we had made. I don't think my bedroom had ever looked as chaotic, but I was ecstatic.

I wandered into the kitchen and quickly put on a pot of coffee as I drank a big glass of water. I was still feeling the effects of all the whiskey I had drank at Alice's party, but luckily I could still remember almost everything. I sat on the bar stool at the end of my counter and recalled Bella screaming my name in pleasure, and me kissing her at midnight in Alice's bedroom. She had looked so beautiful last night and when I had mentioned it to her, she blew it off because of my drunkenness. I should have set myself a limit of one bottle last night apparently.

As I started to cook up some breakfast, I heard some shuffling coming from my bedroom. I pretended to ignore it until I heard the bedroom door open and Bella walked out wearing her lace panties, and my dress shirt tied loosely in a knot that fell onto her bare stomach. _Oh my god._

"Morning," she said as she rubbed her eyes to adjust to the light in the apartment. "I couldn't find my dress, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, you look sexy as hell," I replied honestly. "Coffee?" I offered up politely and she nodded her head in agreement. I poured her a big cup and she grabbed it eagerly and started drinking right away. She apparently took her coffee black. Good to know.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked with a little wink. She was such a flirt. I recalled her telling me last night that she didn't want a relationship, yet here she was in my dress shirt and lace panties, flirting with me.

"Not really, my arm was sore, some broad took up most of my bed and she talked in her sleep," I joked as I turned over the bacon I had frying in the pan.

"She talked in her sleep?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, something about me being the best lover she ever had, and then wanting more. I think I heard her moan my name a few times," I said with a serious expression, even though I was lying. Well, she did moan my name a few times, but that was in the heat of passion. Bella just looked at me dumbfounded and smiled.

"Maybe she meant Edward R. Murrough?" she joked as she took another sip of her coffee. I just glared at her and continued cooking breakfast.

"How do you like your eggs?"

"Scrambled." She said seriously as she wandered into the living room with her coffee and started checking out my DVD's. Was she planning on staying past breakfast? _Please god, let her stay after breakfast._ "So, what do you have planned today?" she asked curiously as she thumbed a few selections on my shelves.

"Nothing. It's Sunday. I don't do anything on Sundays," I admitted honestly. Sundays were my relaxing day. I sometimes watched movies, played video games, visited family, but today there was nothing scheduled.

"Wanna do something?" she asked as she turned back around to face me, apparently eager for my response.

"Sure," I said casually as I worked on finishing our breakfast. Once everything was done, Bella sat eagerly at my kitchen table.

"I'm starving," she said as I put her plate of eggs, potatoes, toast and bacon in front of her. "This looks really good." I just nodded and we ate together in silence for a few moments, before she spoke again, sounding a bit reluctant. "Last night was a lot of fun."

"Yeah, I definitely have no complaints," I said as I winked at her casually.

"But… I'm not sure we should do it again. Like I told you last night, I'm not ready for a relationship, and I don't think you are looking for a 'friend with benefits' so why don't we try just being 'friends?" I was officially suicidal, but I nodded my head absentmindedly.

"I'll take whatever I can get with you," I admitted ruefully. I'm sure I sounded pathetic, but I didn't care. I wanted her in my life, in some form or another. "Your way too smart and cool to not be my friend. Plus, you'll change your mind eventually," I said confidently.

"Maybe I will, but for right now, stop convincing me to have sex with you," she joked as she stabbed some potatoes with her fork.

"I didn't convince you of anything either time babe. You were the instigator both times Bella," I said as I smirked at her. She just shook her head and went back to focusing on her breakfast. Once we were done, Bella helped me wash the dishes and we playfully tossed water at each other. The downfall was that my white dress shirt was getting soaked and she wore nothing underneath. If we hadn't just made the friend pact, I would have tossed her on my kitchen floor and fucked her right there.

"Why do you still have my note on your fridge?" she asked as she fingered the note she left during our first night together.

"It's my goal." I said happily.

"You're goal?" she asked curiously as she walked towards the living room, expecting me to follow her.

"Yeah, you know how people write down goals of the things they want so that they can be reminded of them frequently, thus hopefully fulfilling them? You are my goal. This note will stay here until you agree to date me, exclusively." I said confidently.

"And if that never happens?" she asked curiously as she got comfortable on my couch and turned on the TV.

"Well then, I'll be 90 and staring at my note wondering what I did wrong." I wanted her to know I was serious. I told her last night I would wait for her to come around and I meant it. I just really hoped it didn't take 65 years for her to realize it. "I'm gonna go shower, don't sneak out while I am gone."

Sure enough, when I came back, Bella was still sitting on my couch watching CNN and reading some sheets of paper. I became furious.

"Where did you get that?" I asked angrily as I tore them from her hands, not caring if they got ripped or utterly destroyed, but I didn't want her reading them.

"I'm sorry," she muttered quietly. "I didn't read much, I promise. I didn't mean to invade your privacy." She was clearly upset that I was mad at her. I wanted to say it was alright, but it wasn't. So I decided to ignore it.

"Just don't do it again. Why don't you go shower and then we can do whatever it is you wanted to do today?" I said, trying to sound sweet again. I don't think she bought it, but she did get off of the couch and head to the bathroom. I dressed quickly in some jeans and a sweater while she showered. When she turned off the shower, I left the bedroom for her and went back to my desk to organize my papers.

She claimed she hadn't read much, but the pages I ripped from her were pages 20 and 21, so she had clearly read over twenty pages. She had certainly read more than enough. My novel had been inspired by her, even if she didn't know that. It was about her, but not her name. I hadn't planned on her reading it until I was finished, or possible ever since I didn't know if I would ever see her again when I began writing it almost two months ago. I put everything back in order and locked the pages in my top desk drawer, not wanting a repeat of earlier, and then sat on the couch waiting patiently for her and watching 'The Soup' on E!

Bella wandered out a little while later, with her hair still wet, but pulled back into a little ponytail and her black cocktail dress back on. "So, what are we doing today?" I asked curiously as she slid her feet back into her shoes.

"Well, if you really want to hang out with me today, the first step is heading back to my apartment to get changed." I nodded in agreement and picked up our coats and quickly led us from the apartment and into the underground parking to get my car. Once we were safe inside the warm confines of the Volvo, she gave me directions to her place.

"So, are you going to tell me what we are doing today?" I asked curiously as we drove down the busy Chicago streets.

"No. Are you going to tell me why you were so upset about me reading your novel?"

"No. This should be an interesting day then," I muttered as I kept my eyes on the road, trying not to get upset that she had mentioned it again. "How about we don't discuss my novel. It will make us both a lot happier," I said a little while later, trying to ease the tension. Bella just nodded her head and pointed to an apartment building just to the right of us. I parked on the street in front of her building and we quickly headed in, not wanting Bella to get sick since her hair was still wet.

"Give me like ten minutes to get changed and dry my hair and then we can get out of here?" she asked curiously as we stood in front of her apartment and she unlocked the door.

"Get the fuck out," we heard a male voice call out from the other side of the door when Bella finally opened it. She slammed it shut in front of us and we both started laughing.

"That was Emmett's voice," I laughed as we stood there, not quite sure what to do.

"I won't be able to eat off my kitchen table again. We might be going shopping for new furniture today," she giggled as she rubbed her hands over her eyes. "I think I need to erase my short term memory."


	6. Easy like Sunday Morning

**A/N: Insomia is not my friend, but I am sure you will all love the fact that it kept me awake long enough to post two new chapters tonight. Enjoy, and review. They make me happier than Emmett's snide comments **

***Disclamer goes here… blah blah blah.. characters are not mine***

**Bella POV**

"If they have scratched or ruined my grandma swan's dining room table, they will live to regret it," I said as I paced down the hallway fuming.

"If it helps, I doubt they could scratch it since they had no clothes on," laughed Edward as I shuddered, recalling walking in on Rosalie and Emmett in the throes of passion.

"Not really helping," I said as the door to my apartment finally opened and Rosalie let us in. She had quickly thrown on some clothes and Emmett was nowhere to be found.

"Did Emmett flee down the fire escape?" asked Edward as he walked into my apartment and started to survey the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Fuck you," said Emmett as he wandered out of Rosalie's room moments later clad in his dress shirt from the night before and boxer shorts. He wrapped his arm around Rose's waist and I noticed her relax instantly. If I hadn't already made plans with Edward, I would have forced myself to endure a manicure so that I could hear more about the development between Rosalie and Emmett. "Well isn't this interesting, brothers and best friends."

"We're not dating," I corrected quickly as Edward made himself comfortable on the couch and watched the conversation between Emmett and I.

"Dating, fucking, whatever you two are doing," snapped Emmett as he sat across from Edward on the couch and winked at him.

"We're friends Emmett. I'm sorry your pea sized, steroid riddled brain can't comprehend a concept as difficult as friendship." He just scoffed at me and then an evil smirk crossed his face.

"Last night was round number two, wasn't it Bella? I guess women really can't resist the Cullen men," laughed Emmett as Rosalie looked at me with both anger and concern on her face.

"We'll discuss this later Rose. After you and Captain Dipshit over there have disinfected every inch of this apartment, specifically my grandmother's table," I yelled, still furious with the image of them on it. All three of them laughed at my rage and I stomped off to my bedroom to get dressed. I came back out into the living room ten minutes later in a pair of tight jeans, bulky sweater and my hair was finally dried and pulled back into a ponytail. Rosalie and Emmett left Edward alone in the apartment and he was going through my portfolio that I had left on the coffee table when I got back from New York.

"You're good," he said as I sat beside him and looked at the photo in front of him.

"Thanks," I blushed, as he flipped the page carefully and pointed to a photo of a grieving mother and daughter that I had taken while in college.

"That's my favorite," he admitted as he closed the portfolio and placed it carefully back on the table. I nodded my head in confirmation, not wanting to reveal that it was my favorite as well. "So, what are we doing?"

"Edward Cullen, I am taking you to my favorite place in the world," I said as I grabbed my coat from the back of the dining room chair.

"We were already in my bed today. If you were just gonna drag me back there, we shouldn't have bothered leaving," he joked as I threw his grey coat at him and we left the apartment. He instinctively went to get in his Volvo and didn't notice that I was walking away from him, down the snow covered sidewalk.

"It's too cold to walk Bella," he moaned as he tried to catch up to me.

"It's not that bad and you are dressed for cold weather. It's a few blocks, deal with it." I muttered as he finally walked beside me, with his hands buried deep in his pockets. "If you're a good boy maybe I'll buy you a coffee." Almost ten minutes later we walked into my favorite music store. It reminded me of the one from 'high fidelity' except there was no Jack Black or John Cusack, _sigh_. There were individual listening booths in the back where I had spent many a lonely Sunday listening to rare vinyls recommended to me by the owner. I'm sure he had a little crush on me, and he looked a bit disappointed when I walked in with Edward beside me.

"Hey Bella," called Luke as he looked up from the magazine he was reading behind the counter. I nodded at him in acknowledgement and quickly went over to my favorite section, the vinyl records.

"This place is awesome Bella. You don't mind if I look around do you?" asked Edward as he scoped out the store, eager to discover everything it had to offer.

"Go ahead. If you can't find me, try listening booth three," I said as I began searching for something new. I had always wanted one of the fancy old record players, but until I could afford it or justify the expense, I opted to come here every week instead.

"Bella, we got a new Edith Piaf in, you should take a listen," shouted Luke before he turned his attention back to the customer he was serving. I looked up slowly and Edward had caught the exchange between Luke and I. He continued wandering around, checking out all the different styles of music they carried. A little while later, I climbed into my usual booth and put on the record Luke had recommended, immediately turning it to one of my favorite songs, _la vie en rose_. I held the headphones tight to my ears and listened to the first verse happily.

_Des yeux qui font baiser les miens,  
Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,  
Voila le portrait sans retouche  
De l'homme auquel j'appartiens_

I was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door and Edward standing in front of it with a handful of CD's in his hands.

'Whatcha listening to?" he asked as he slid into the tiny booth with me.

"Edith Piaf." He was cultured enough, so I was glad I didn't have to explain to him who she was.

"Is it any good?" he asked curiously.

"It's only like one of the world's best and most revered love songs. You must know of it," I said with a hint of frustration. I unplugged the headphones and restarted the song so that he could hear it along with me. It was a little cramped in the booth, so I stood up to give each of us a little more room. The song started again and I watched as Edward closed his eyes and listened intently. He even seemed to be mouthing the words. Don't tell me knows French too?

The entire time I was watching him, and listening to one of the most haunting voices, I kept staring at his lips. It probably didn't help that the first lyrics of the song were about kissing. It also probably didn't help that the entire song was about the love of your life. His lips looked so soft in the light of the booth, and he looked so content, I couldn't help myself. I stood on my tip toes and just as the song was about to end, I kissed him gently on the lips. I had been telling myself for months that he would be nothing more than a friend, and I just fucking kissed him. I needed to be committed immediately. When I got home later, I was going to make Rosalie institutionalize me.

"I'm sorry," I said as the song ended and he opened his eyes a little bit shocked. "I really do only want to be friends."

"Then stop kissing me Bella. Like I told you, you instigate everything, so stop it if you want to be friends, because one day, I won't be able to resist like I am now." I just nodded my head and opened the door to the booth so that we could step out. Edward grabbed the record and added it to his purchases.

"So what did you get?" I asked, curiously as we stepped up to the cashier almost two hours later.

"Well, I got that Edith Piaf record as you already know. I also picked up a rare Joni Mitchell CD for my mom's birthday next month, the recent Radiohead release, Damien Rice and Elliott Smith. Any issues?" he asked, as though he needed my approval for his choices.

"No, you've done good young grasshopper," I said as he put everything on the counter. Luke looked down and him and began to give him a quick glare. I had never brought anyone with me into the store when I came, so Luke probably assumed I was single. Of course, I wasn't when I started coming into the store, but I am now. Not like it mattered, Luke was definitely not my type. He looked a little too much like Matt Dillon from 'Singles', but I'm sure Matt Dillon showered. The jury was still out on Luke. When we were done, I gave Luke a quick wave and told him I would see him next Sunday.

"Do you go there every week?" asked Edward as we started walking down the street to my favorite bakery.

"Yeah, unless I'm out of town. I found it about a year ago and I have spent way too much money in there." I laughed.

"You do realize that he wants you, right?" asked Edward curiously as he swung the bag he was holding in the air a bit.

"Yeah, I figured as much," I sighed as I opened the door to the bakery and we walked inside.

"He also looked like he wanted to beat the crap out of me," he added as he leaned over the display to check out the pastries available. I ordered us two coffees and two cinnamon buns as Edward got us a seat by the window. I was happy to be hanging out with him, it was easy and nice. It definitely didn't feel like a date.

"Are you on a date Bella?" asked Kim, the server I saw almost every Sunday, after my visit to the record store.

"No, he's just a friend of mine." I said casually. Then she cocked her eye brow curiously.

"Is he single? Would you mind if I asked him out?" she asked excitedly. Kim was definitely not Edwards' type. She was hyper active, had fake blonde hair and always chewed bubble gum. It was kinda obnoxious.

"Sorry hon, not single," I lied as she hung her head in unhappily. "Don't worry. If he breaks up with her, I'll let you know," I winked, trying to cheer her up. I grabbed our order and headed back to our seat, wondering why the hell I would do something so stupid. I didn't want him, but it didn't mean I had to sabotage anyone else from wanting him.

"Everything okay?" he asked as I finally sat down across from him and took a quick sip of my coffee.

"Yeah, everything's good. So what do you usually do on your Sunday's?" I asked curiously. "I mean, it must be more interesting than record stores and bakeries right?"

"Not really. Sunday is my lazy day. I watch TV; catch up on things on my TIVO, sometimes I have to head to my parents for dinner with the entire family. I do as little as humanly possible. Though I will admit, record stores and bakeries is a good alternative." He was trying to wrangle himself another invite to Sunday with Bella, and I might consider it, but not right now.

"Dinner with the family, sounds as much fun as, well okay, it doesn't sound fun at all," I said as I stared outside and noticed it was starting to snow a bit. "So, what are your three favorite books?"

"Is TV Guide a book?" he laughed quietly, giving me another quote from the Simpsons.

"No," I smiled, knowing full well he was kidding.

"Okay, well as you already know, I have an extensive collection so I will pick my three current favorites, they change regularly. Paradise Lost by John Milton, Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman and Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk." He answered honestly.

"That was a good movie," I said recalling that I saw it on DVD just a few weeks ago while in New York City.

"The book is ten times better. Remind me next time I see you to bring it with me."

"What makes you so sure there will be a next time?"

"Oh, there will be a next time," Edward said confidently as he took the last bite of his cinnamon bun. "Friends hang out. We're friends, so we will probably hang out again. Plus, with Emmett trying to um… date your friend, you'll want to be as far from your apartment as humanly possible." He was probably right. If Emmett and Rosalie got serious, I would hate being in the vicinity of whatever the hell it was they would be doing.

"I'll take my chances with Emmett and Rosalie," I joked. Edward rolled his eyes and frowned slightly. "Oh, I was kidding Edward. Relax."

"So what are your three favorite books Bella?"

"Is Cosmo a book?" I asked, making fun of his previous answer.

"No."

"Ok, I haven't read a good book in ages, but I'll say The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein." I was just trying hard to remember any books that I had ever read. These days all I really read were manuals for my cameras or the help section of Adobe Photoshop.

"Very interesting selections," he said as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and glared at the number calling.

"Do you need to take that?"

"No, it was no one important," said Edward as he turned the phone off and shoved it back into his pocket. "What's next on the agenda for today?"

"Well, actually, this is the end of the excitement. Usually I head home, do some laundry, make some dinner and watch a movie with Rosalie. I should probably cut this short seeing as I still haven't unpacked from New York." I said, remembering that I had a shitload of stuff to do back at the apartment, including ensure that Rosalie cleans that damned table.

"It's fine Bella. I have a few things to do at home too, so how about I walk you back to your apartment, and we each go get done what we need to do. Would you be up to hanging out together next Sunday morning? I have a dinner at my parents that night, but I'm free from like 8 till 2. We could visit the record store, maybe do lunch?" He was trying to make plans with me, something I actually had to schedule in my phone. I just nodded my head, not even realizing I was doing it, and it was agreed. "Of course, this is all depending on the weather. If it's snowing like a son of a bitch, we might just go tobogganing," he said with a big smile on his face. Whatever we did, I'm sure it would be fun.


	7. The Ties that Bind

**A/N: Here's the latest chapter. I hope to have a couple done this weekend, but they are actually to worst time for me to write, so wish me luck. Review your little hearts out. I like reviews more than bottles of glenfiddich. Yummy.**

***Disclaimer. I own the words, not the characters.***

**Edward POV**

This girl was one of the most frustrating, yet beautiful people I had ever met. She kissed me in the listening booth at the record store and then immediately apologized, using the same excuse that she just wanted to be friends. It was really hard to be friends with her when she was trying to shove her tongue in my mouth. I decided to let the incident go, blaming the damned haunting voice of Edith Piaf and tried not to think about it.

I had a good laugh when the record store clerk started glaring at me as I paid for my stuff. He was clearly into Bella, and from what she explained to me, it was not reciprocated, but he still hated me for the sheer fact that I was spending time with her and he wasn't. Then I overheard her tell the bleached blonde cashier at the bakery that I was taken, but not by her. Bella claims she is not interested, but she sabotages the efforts of someone else, who I would never even consider dating anyways.

I finally got back into the warmth of my apartment just after three in the afternoon. I quickly unloaded my purchases onto the counter and put the Edith Piaf record away in my closet for a rainy day. I hadn't bought it for myself, since I already had it on CD, but I figured I would give it to Bella one day. When, I didn't know. I changed into some comfortable clothes and started a load of laundry. It was still a lazy Sunday after all. I had just gotten relaxed on my couch to catch up on last Wednesday's episode of Lost, when my home phone rang.

"Hi Alice," I said immediately, having recognized her number on my call display.

"Where the hell did you go last night?" she asked with a hint of frustration to her voice.

"Bella took me home since I was a wee bit drunk," I admitted unabashedly.

"She took you home?" she said sounding absolutely awestruck by the concept that someone would care enough to make sure that plastered Edward Cullen got home.

"Yes Alice, and she slept over, and we went out to a record store and bakery this morning. Oh, and we found Emmett fucking Rosalie on Bella's grandmother's antique dining room table," I added hastily, trying to deflect the attention off of me for a moment.

"First of all, that is seriously gross. I hope Bella either throws that thing out or burns it. Who knows where either of those two has been? Secondly, are you guys dating?" she asked, going right to the point.

"No, were friends. Although, based on the signals she's giving me, I'm sure we'll be dating eventually." I said confidently.

"What signals?" I told Alice about what happened at the record store and then the bakery and she agreed with me that Bella was not giving off a just friend's vibe.

"I'm seeing her again next Sunday morning before heading to mom and dad's for dinner, so I will update you on any additional news then." I said. Alice quickly reminded me that she had a shoot scheduled with Bella for Wednesday, so she would grill her for anything additional on my behalf. I know she hated to be in the middle of this, but I have a feeling that she realized that Bella and I would be good for each other. After I hung up from her, I turned Lost back on and quickly fell asleep on the couch. Apparently I was never going to find out what was happening on the island anytime soon.

I was woken up an hour or two later by a loud banging on my front door. I seriously hoped someone was dying or the building was on fire, otherwise, the person on the other side of the door was dead. It was Emmett.

"What took you so long dude? You banging Bella in the bedroom again?" he asked as he wandered in, dressed in his disheveled suit from the night before.

"I was napping on the couch man, what are you doing here?" I asked angrily, as I watched him throw himself onto my couch.

"I left my keys here, and my car is downstairs. I kinda can't go home without it Edward."

"Okay, well here they are," I said throwing the keys onto his chest. "You can go now."

"Seriously dude, I need someone to talk to you and you just happen to be the closest someone," said Emmett as he sat up and actually looked serious for a minute. I sat down in my oversized club chair and turned off the TV, wanting to give him my full attention. "Dude, Rosalie is awesome." I had expected that response from him. "I'm inviting her to dinner at mom and dad's next week."

"What the hell Em? You've never invited any girl to dinner with the folks. None of us have brought anyone with us. You've known her for less than twenty four hours. Are you sure you want to do this?" I was very confused. Emmett would never bring any girl he slept with to meet my parents. Even in high school they never met anyone he had dated. Alice and I had followed his lead and determined that unless we were engaged or madly in love, no one was coming home with us either. Our parents probably thought we were all celibate or something.

"Yeah, Alice said she was bringing Jasper to meet Esme and Carlisle so I decided to bring Rosalie. I told you last night I was going to marry a supermodel. I should have been more specific. I'm going to marry _that_ supermodel." I coughed so loudly, I think I started choking slightly.

"Emmett… are you still drunk?"

"Drunk on love" he said, sounding like a complete and utter moron.

"Emmett is Rosalie even aware that you consider her your girlfriend or were you planning to tell her at a later date?" I asked through my laughter. He was sounding less and less normal with each word coming from his mouth.

"Yeah, we're dating man. I actually needed to get my car so that I could run home and get changed. We're going out to dinner tonight. At least, we're hoping to. She has some weekly thing with Bella that she is trying to get out of," said Emmett, as I started to feel a bit bad for Bella, who I knew was looking forward to watching a movie with Rose tonight.

"You're a big boy Emmett, you will do what you want, but don't do anything stupid. In fact, when you need to make a decision, think long and hard about what you would do, and then do the complete opposite. Rosalie will probably be begging you to marry her within a week," I laughed as he stood up and headed to the door.

"Thanks for listening, and good luck with Bella. It looks like you might need it." After Emmett left, I had started throwing together a quick stir fry for dinner when my home phone rang again. I didn't recognize the number this time, but answered it anyways.

"Turn your cell phone on Edward," shrieked Bella. "I've been trying to call you for like twenty minutes."

"Oh calm down, what's wrong?" I asked, a little concerned.

"Rosalie dumped me for your brother tonight. Wanna watch Citizen Kane with me?"

"Not really, but if you come over I have some stir fry and we can pick something better to watch?" I offered, excited that she had called me to do something. We'd only been apart like 3 hours and she was already calling. That was a good sign.

"Okay, I'll be over in like ten minutes," she said as she hung up the phone and I proceeded to do a little happy dance around my apartment. I turned down the burner on my stove and ran into my bedroom to get dressed into something a little more Bella appropriate. I tossed on my favorite jeans and a black Armani t-shirt. At least I didn't look like a slob anymore. I tried to focus on dinner, but I was distracted by the fact that she had called me and wanted to do something. This was new.

True to form, Bella knocked on my door just over ten minutes later. She was still dressed in the same clothes from this morning, but she looked cute. The sweater did nothing for her amazing figure, but she had probably worn it because it had been so cold out. I quickly took her coat and she made herself comfortable on the couch, as she watched me cook.

"Does that have water chestnuts in it? Cause I hate those," she said as she flipped through my TIVO to see what I had saved.

"No water chestnuts. There is also no artichokes, brussel sprouts or parsnips." She laughed, recalling our conversation from the first night we met. I suggested she scan through my DVD collection to find something she was interested in; while I finished up the noodles I was cooking.

"Did you want to watch something funny, dramatic, classic? What are you in the mood for?" While I really wanted to say I was in the mood for more sex with her, I thought better of it.

"How about a comedy?" I said as I watched her scan my shelves for something worthy of her attention. She pulled out 'Office Space' and left it on the coffee table, for us to watch after dinner. Then she pulled her sweater off, revealing a tight tank top underneath. She was killing me.

"It smells really good," said Bella as she wandered into my kitchen and watched as I served everything into two big bowls. I handed them to her and she went to put them on the table as I served us each a glass of white wine. She was actually fairly quiet while we ate dinner, until the conversation came to Rosalie and Emmett. "Did you know Rose is going with Emmett to meet your parents next week?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, I tried to talk him out of it. They are moving just a tad bit too fast for my liking. I'm sure Rose is a great girl, but Emmett has never brought anyone home to meet my parents," I admitted reluctantly. I didn't want to upset her and imply that Rose was some kind of girl that Emmett would date twice and then dump, but that was his usual MO.

"I told her that it wasn't that great of an idea. Then she tried to convince me to come with her. As if Rosalie had any authority to invite me to your parents' house?" she laughed as she took a sip of her wine.

"Do you want to go?" I asked casually, kind of hoping that she would say yes so it wouldn't feel so awkward sitting at the table with my parents, Alice, Emmett, Jasper and Rosalie. I would definitely be the odd man out, and my mom would spend most of the evening asking why I was still single, and seeing if she could hook me up with some 'lovely girls' that she knew.

"Huh?" she stammered as she put her glass back on the table nervously.

"Oh calm down. I figured if you wanted to go, to support Rose or whatever you girls do, then I could invite you as my friend. You see Bella, I do have the authority to invite you to dinner," I added sarcastically. Bella was completely silent. I started to wonder for a second if she was choking on some of the chicken from my stir fry, but instead she just nodded her head in agreement.

"Ok then, after we go out next Sunday, I'll pick you up and we'll all go meet the parents. Think positive, Alice will be there with her boyfriend Jasper for the first official meet and greet too. It'll be fun, I promise." Ok, so it would be excruciating and I was lying through my teeth, but at least I would have more time with her.


	8. Simple Man

**A/N: Time for an update. More friendship stuff. I plan on building it for a bit before any major drama happens, so you need to bear with me. I love reviews almost as much as I love Cadbury Crème Eggs. I'm so glad it's Easter Again.**

***characters are not mine, only the words* cue the teacher's voice from the Peanuts.**

**Bella POV**

Sunday night went by rather quickly once we had finished dinner. I helped Edward do the dishes and we lounged in his living room and watched 'Office Space'. We spent most of the time discussing our favorite quotes from the film and why we are both petrified to work for 'the man' thanks to this movie. As it neared midnight, Edward offered me a ride home after he noticed me yawning. He also lent me his copy of 'Fight Club', so that I could read and discuss it at length with him.

"If Rosalie and Emmett are in there experimenting with a freaky love swing or something, let me know and I will come back to get you and I can sleep on the couch," Edward offered sweetly as we pulled up in front of my apartment building.

"Thanks, keep your cell on, Edward," I said as I wished him a good night and headed inside, clutching his book close to my chest. I got lucky when I stepped inside my apartment because Rose and Emmett were nowhere to be found. I got changed and climbed into bed, falling asleep quickly as I dreamt of Edward for the first time.

Wednesday morning I arrived early at the studio space in Alice's building. I had provided her with a list of materials I would need while I was away in New York City and of course everything was laid out perfectly in the studio. Angela, the receptionist, was the only one around when I arrived so she happily let me in and showed me around. It only took me about an hour to set everything up before the three models arrived to sit with the stylists for hair and makeup. Once they were all done, we did some quick lighting adjustments and then Alice finally joined us.

"Well aren't we the eager beaver?" she joked as she wandered in and assessed the situation, offering a smile.

"Early bird catches the worm and all that shit, right?" I said as Monique, the first model, strolled in dressed and ready to go. The shoot had been underway for almost two hours when we took a quick lunch break and enjoyed the Thai food that Angela had ordered for us. I led Alice to her office to give her a quick preview of what I had done already. She had been praising me during the entire shoot, but there was a big difference between my work style and the finished product, in my opinion.

"So, what's going on with you and Edward?" she asked bluntly as the first photo graced her computer screen. "Oooh, I love that one," she gushed.

"Nothing. We're friends, that's it. He's a really cool guy," I said tentatively as she continued her excitement over my photos.

"I hear you are coming to the Cullen family snooze fest on Sunday." I just nodded my head. "It's like really huge for us to bring someone home to meet our parents."

"Rosalie wanted some support, so when I mentioned it to Edward, he invited me. So, I'm going for Rose, not Edward," I said confidently as Alice stared happily at more proofs.

"Okay, if you insist," said Alice sarcastically. "On a more serious note, I have a proposition for you." My interest was piqued immediately. "How would you like to come on board as my permanent photographer? We have some office space that you can have and you can have your other clients, just no other designers. What do you think?"

"That would be awesome Alice." I got up and gave her a big bear hug.

"You deserve it Bella. Your work has been great. You can have the office three doors down from mine and you can use the room we've been using today as your permanent studio." The more she talked, the more she offered me and the happier I got.

"We should go out and celebrate. This is such a big step for my career. What do you say Alice, are you free tonight?" I asked as I practically shivered with excitement.

"No can do babe. I have to attend some gallery opening with Jasper. You should go anyways, call Rose and Edward. I'm sure they would love to go out and party with you." She was right, and as soon as the shoot was finished a few hours later, I immediately called Rose, but I got her voicemail. I didn't leave a message, instead opting to call Edward instead. There was no answer at his apartment, so I quickly dialed his cell phone. Almost instantly I heard a phone ring behind me and when I turned around, there stood Edward, leaving against the doorframe of my new studio.

"Well that was a waste of a call," he said as he shoved his phone back into the pocket of his grey woolen coat.

"I have the friends and family plan, so it's all good," I responded.

"Oh, so now I'm one of your fav five?" he smirked, still lounging against the door.

"Something like that. You should feel honored that I removed someone else to put you in," I laughed. "What are you doing here?"

"It may sound cliché, but I was actually in the neighborhood. I've been chatting to Alice for the past twenty minutes and she mentioned that you were in here," he said casually. "So, why were you calling me?"

"I wanted to know if you were free tonight to help me celebrate my new job?"

"New job? Let me guess, the photo thing isn't working for you so you'll now be promoting the fav five plan for T-Mobile?"

"Nice try genius. Alice hired me to be the official photographer for her design company and she gave me an office and studio space. No more working out of my bedroom," I said practically bursting with excitement still.

"That's awesome. What do you want to do to celebrate?" he asked inquisitively. I grabbed my purse and primary camera and left the room, turning off the light as we went. Edward was two steps behind me.

"I have no idea. I'm starving, so how about we go eat something and then decide?" I asked as I grabbed my coat out of my new office. Edward nodded in agreement and as we were about to head out the door, Angela stopped us.

"Bella, Alice wanted me to make sure you had keys to your new office and the building, so here you go," she said as she threw a set towards me. "I'm usually in fairly early so you may not need them. Oh, and she said that you could move your stuff in whenever you want."

"Thanks Angela. Let her know that I will probably do it on Monday and that I will see her on Sunday for dinner." I smiled brightly as I walked with Edward into the cool Chicago night.

"So, where to?" asked Edward as we got into the car and he waited for me to decide on a destination.

"I feel like pasta, so take me to your favorite Italian restaurant." It took us almost forty five minutes, thanks to rush hour traffic, but we finally pulled up in front of a small restaurant named 'Il Trattoria', which I had never heard of. Edward was apparently a frequent visitor.

"Mr. Cullen, it's a pleasure to see you again," said the overly excited bald man acting as the host. "Would you like your usual seat?" Edward simply nodded his head as the man grabbed two menus and started walking away. Edward casually slid his arm behind my waist and pushed me forward gently to follow.

"You have a usual seat?" I asked curiously as we wandered up to a small quiet booth and the menus were placed on the table. Edward just nodded his head, both in response to my question, and to thank the host. "Bring all your dates here?"

"Actually Bella, this is the first time I've brought anyone here. The food is way too good to share with just anyone, so I'm selective. It's kinda like you and the record store, I suppose," he said as he picked up a menu and handed it to me. After a quick review and some recommendations from Edward, I ordered the parmesan chicken bow ties with a salad and Edward selected the Italian sausage penne.

The waitress who took our order seemed to be completely taken aback to see Edward with someone at his table. I'm sure it would be a topic of conversation between the staff at the restaurant for the rest of the week. Throughout dinner our conversation was very casual, yet interesting. We discussed our mutual love of Dr. Seuss, TV theme songs and classic rock music. We spent more time though talking about everything that annoyed us such as Chicago traffic, White Sox fans and anyone who says any word that ends with 'izzle', unless it is 'sizzle' because that is in fact proper English. We laughed easily with each other and before we knew it, we had paid the bill and were heading back to the silver Volvo, still unsure of what to do next.

"I feel like getting drunk," I admitted unashamed. I had two glasses of wine with dinner, but in my book, that hardly constituted drinking.

"Sorry babe, I got a big meeting in the morning, but if you want, we can go to the bar by my place. I can drink a bit, and if you get completely shitfaced, you can sleep it off at my place, sound good?"

"Deal," I said eagerly as we pulled away from the restaurant, both of us with big smiles on his face.

**Edward POV**

Damned meeting. If it wasn't so late, I would have cancelled the meeting so that I could spend more time with Bella, but since it was after nine already, there was nothing I could do. We parked at my building and walked quickly to the bar, eager to get back into the warmth of a building. I waved to James as we walked in and I noticed his eyes light up when he saw Bella with me. I suggested we sit at a booth in the corner, instead of at the bar with James, and she was completely fine with his. As soon as we were settled, I went up to the bar and ordered our drinks.

"The usual for me, and a gin and tonic for the lady," I said politely to James as he crooked his eye brow in curiosity.

"I thought you said nothing happened with the brunette goddess in your booth?"

"Nothing did happen. We're friends and we are celebrating the new job she got today," I said quickly and a bit defensively. Luckily, he got busy shortly after handing me our drinks, so there would be no more inquisitions from him. Five drinks later, Bella stole all my change and wandered over to the jukebox to peruse their selections. I stayed in the booth and kept a close eye on her, particularly paying close attention to her ass as she stood in front of the jukebox and swayed back and forth to the song already playing.

"Their selections suck," she said as she plopped down on the bench across from me in our booth a few minutes later.

"If they had nothing good, then what the hell did you put on?" I asked as I noticed she had no change left. Suddenly, the first verse of 'Africa' by toto came over the speakers. "You know you are on a bad date when she goes into excruciating detail on how she was conceived at a toto concert," I said, while laughing at her choice of song.

"Oh, so we're playing that game again? You know you are on a bad date when he shows up wearing a light blue track suit with matching sweatbands," said Bella as she finished her drink and motioned with her hand for James to bring her another.

"Damn, who the hell set you up on that date?"

"My Grandma Marie. It was the grandson of a friend of hers, and she had never met him before." James was back at our table with another Gin & Tonic as 'Simple Man' by Lynyrd Skynyrd came on. "This was the best song in that fucking machine." She was starting to get a little drunk, because the more alcohol she had in her, the more she tended to swear. It was one of the millions of little things I had noticed since the first night I met her that I had found really endearing.

"You know you are on a bad date when she is constantly checking her cell phone for messages," I said, recalling a bad date with a particularly skanky girl named Amber.

"Why would she do that on a date with you, was she blind?" growled Bella, jumping to my defense about two years too late. Another thing I liked about Bella when she was drunk, she tended to be a little more honest and less guarded with her words and emotions.

"I guess I was going through my geeky and awkward phase back then," I joked, knowing full well I never went through that phase.

"When was it?"

"About two years ago?"

"Yeah, like you were geeky and awkward back then. I'm sure you were just as hot then as you are now." I wanted to blush, but I just shook my head and tried to steer the conversation in another direction.

"So, have you seen my darling brother lately?"

"What?" she said as she shook her head in confusion.

"I think it's time we call it a night Bella," I said realizing that she really wasn't paying attention to me anymore. "Let's go." I grabbed her arm and helped her up from her seat. She slid her coat on easily and slipped her arm into mine as I led her from the bar and down the road to my apartment.

"This is like déjà vu, accept there is a bit of stumbling on my part this time," she slurred as we walked into my apartment building.

"Yeah, sorta. No sex this time though," I said through clenched teeth. There was no way I could even consider sleeping with Bella tonight. If we were both drunk, fine, but not with just her smashed.

"Really?" asked Bella, sounding disappointed.

"Yes Bella, really." It was the first time I felt bad rejecting someone.

"Okay," she sighed as we walked into my apartment. She went straight to my bedroom and lay down comfortably on top of my bed. She used her feet to kick her shoes off onto the floor and I reached into my dresser and pulled out some clothes for her to sleep in.

"There's a pair of shorts and a shirt there for you Bella, I'll give you some privacy. Let me know when you are done," I said as I started to walk from the room.

"Wait," she called out to me. I turned around and she had thrown her coat onto the floor by her shoes. "You don't have to leave. It's not like you haven't seen any of it before?" She was flirting and she was hammered. _Damn you Bella Swan._

"That's okay Bella. I don't want to overstep the boundaries of our friendship, so I will go get changed in the kitchen while you change here." I was proud of myself for exercising such restraint, even though my hard on was in complete disagreement with me. I grabbed some pajama pants and headed into the main room. I had changed quickly and was sitting on the couch waiting for her to come and get me, but I heard nothing. I had already prepared the couch so that I could sleep on it, but I wanted to make sure that Bella was alright before I turned in for the night.

I walked slowly back into my room and noticed she had changed, but had fallen asleep on top of my bedspread. I pulled the blankets down and slid her body underneath them so that she didn't get cold. She apparently was not as asleep as she looked.

"Edward," she said quietly to me. "Can you sleep in here with me, please?" I looked down at her now open eyes and she was practically begging me. I figured that sleeping in the bed with her was a lot different than having sex with her, so I slowly climbed into the bed and tried to get comfortable. I wasn't used to sleeping beside anyone. The only person who had even slept in this bed in the past two years, other than me, was Bella. I turned onto my back and Bella immediately rolled over towards me and put her head on my chest, holding me close to her. Moments later she was fast asleep again.

I was in hell. I was lying next to the girl of my dreams. With each word she spoke and each gesture she made, I fell more in love with her. I was completely kidding myself at doing this friendship thing. I couldn't only be friends with this girl. I reached over and started stroking her hair gently, trying to calm myself from the sheer ache that pulsed within me. I longed to touch her more, and I couldn't do it. I wouldn't risk not having Bella in my life. So I just closed my eyes and did my best to sleep before my meeting in the morning.

**A/N: How do you know you are on a bad date??**


	9. Family Portrait

**A/N: Like I said earlier, the weekends are the worst time for me to update, so here is today's. Sorry it took so long. It is also one of my longest chapters, so please enjoy! Welcome to dinner at the Cullen house… **

***Disclaimer stuff goes here. SM owns characters, not me, sadly.***

**Bella POV**

"Rosalie, you need to calm down," I yelled as she stomped around our apartment throwing a hissy fit that any toddler would be envious of. "Edward will be here soon, so you can ask him what would be appropriate to wear. They're only parents, not royalty."

"Poor misguided Bella. I'm guessing Edward hasn't told you much about the Cullen family huh?" she asked as she smirked at me. Rose seemed very pleased that for once she knew something I didn't.

"Enlighten me then," I said as I groaned at her.

"Grandpa Cullen is actually E.A. Cullen, the famous publishing magnet. If I am not mistaken, Edward is named after him. Their father, Carlisle, is one of the best doctors in the country and their mom Esme, runs a major interior design firm here in town. They are basically Chicago royalty and come from very old money." Rosalie actually talked with interest as she discussed the Cullen's. She never talked about anything with interest unless it was a fashion designer, a new purse or her most recent manicure. "I doubt any of them even need to work, but they do. Emmett is a real estate investor. He buys houses, Esme's company helps him fix them up and then they sell them for a huge profit. He loves his job." Rosalie was grinning from ear to ear, probably because she knew she liked Emmett before she realized he was rich.

This was basically the cherry on top of the sundae for Rose. In the few moments we had together since New Year's Eve, all she had talked about was Emmett. It was pretty vomit inducing, but it was so rare to see Rose happy, so I didn't discourage it. She deserved all the happiness in the world for being such a great friend to me, and if that bliss was because of Emmett Cullen, then so be it. I was about to ask her for additional information on the Cullen family when suddenly there was a knock on the door. I glanced at the clock, and as usual, Edward was right on time for our Sunday morning together. I welcomed him in and Rosalie immediately started with the questions before he could even say hello.

"Edward, thank god you are here. Would you please help me with something?" She asked frantically as he leaned casually against the kitchen counter. His cheeks looked pretty red, so I assumed it was very cold out and I ran back to my room for a bulky sweater.

"What is it? It doesn't have anything to do with Emmett does it, cause I don't like to get in the middle of his stuff," he sighed, expecting to get reamed out for something his older brother might have done. I guessed this was a frequent occurrence.

"I'm having major issues determining what to wear for dinner tonight. What is appropriate?" she asked anxiously.

"How about something between the disaster you are wearing right now and a wedding dress," he joked sarcastically. Rosalie glared at him as though she was plotting all the ways to kill him. "Ok, no jokes. I suggest cocktail dress or some dress pants and a blouse. Nothing too revealing, tight or sexy. You're going to meet the Cullen's, not the Hefner's."

As I listened to Rosalie grill him, I was pleased to realize that what I had planned to wear would be more than suitable. I had already pulled out a nice pair of black dress pants, with a cute blue cashmere v neck sweater. It was warm enough for Chicago in January, and dressy enough to meet the parents of your best friend.

"Something funny?" asked Rosalie as she nervously tapped her foot on the floor. I had involuntarily giggled at the scene before me and she had caught me.

"I just think it's funny that _you_ need fashion advice from Edward," I laughed as I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. "We're going now, but we should be back before three."

"Don't be too late, Emmett will be here at five to drive us all," shouted Rosalie as we left the apartment. The moment we were away from her, I immediately released Edward's hand and tried not to pay attention to his reaction.

"So, are we off to the record store again today?" he asked as we stood outside of my building.

"Nope, I need your help with a big project. I hope you don't mind taking a little drive?" He acquiesced to my request and opened the passenger side door for me. Once we were both comfortable, I gave him directions to my favorite photography store and we were off to enjoy the morning. I dragged him into the store to help me select a few major items I would need for my new office. I already had my laptop, which featured all my photo software, so I needed to pick up a decent printer for photos. I also picked up a few large ticket items, which the store will be delivering to the office before noon tomorrow. Edward was quiet during our walk through the store, but he tried to help as best he could.

When we finally left the store, he was beyond eager to get something to eat. "I am starving, and I have no idea what crazy shit will be served tonight, so I suggest you eat well at lunch today," Edward said casually. "Last time we had dinner there, Emmett, Alice and I headed out together afterwards to Sonic to grab a bite. Dinner had been horrible. My mom likes to experiment, so tonight may be interesting."

"Did you know that we have hardly ever discussed your parents?" I mentioned nonchalantly.

"Really?" he asked, sounding incredulous.

"No seriously, we have talked about Emmett and Alice, but never your parents, or anyone else in your family for that matter." I was trying to get additional information from him to corroborate what Rosalie had told me earlier at the apartment.

"What do you want to know?" He sounded very tentative as he said this, perhaps because he actually didn't want to discuss this family.

"Since you don't seem to willing to share much, let me just let you know that Rosalie has already told me some stuff. Like your dad is a doctor, your mom an interior designer, your grandpa a publishing magnet and you guys apparently have a lot of money." He didn't deny anything; instead he just nodded his head slowly.

"I don't talk about them, because when I mention I am a writer, most people just assume I get tons of work because of my grandfather. He has had no impact on my career. I don't mention the money, because I don't use it. It is currently all sitting in a bunch of investments, gathering interest. I live off of what I have earned for myself. I stick out like a sore thumb in my family. Emmett and Alice both embrace the benefits of being a Cullen and I sorta shun it." Edward looked relieved as we discussed everything at length. I didn't push him to disclose anything he didn't want to. I figured with this topic, less was more.

We ended up back at my apartment just before three o'clock. We stopped by Edwards' place and picked up what he wanted to wear and we home to await Emmett's arrival. Rosalie was still looking flustered when we walked in the front door.

"Have you seen my black mary janes?" she asked in a panic. Rose ran back into her room and kneeled on the floor in front of her closet, throwing shoes all over the room.

"Are you high?" asked Edward as he watched her mass destruction.

"Rosalie, you lent them to me a few days ago. They're in my room. Just relax and I will go get them," I said as I ran quickly to my room to fetch her shoes. Once they were back in her hands, she seemed to calm down a bit and went back to her primping and preparing for dinner. Edward and I wandered into my room and he sat down comfortably on my bed, watching my every movement.

"Did you know you've never had me in your bedroom before? You've been in my bedroom too many times to count, and finally after knowing you for three months, I finally get a peek into the real Bella." Edward seemed genuinely thrilled to be in my bedroom.

"Anything that is of particular interest to you?" I asked as I pulled off my big bulky sweater, revealing the t-shirt underneath. Edward said nothing, but seemed to be staring at my chest. "Um, hello… my face is up here?"

"I wasn't looking at your breasts Bella. Well, not this time anyways. I was admiring the photo directly behind you of you and Rosalie." I grabbed it off my desk and brought it closer to show him. It was taken at a dance recital when we were eight years old. I stopped taking Ballet after that, but Rosalie and I remained the best of friends. "You guys look so adorable and happy."

"Yeah, the good old days," I said wistfully. We sat in my bedroom for a little bit, chatting about the regular meaningless shit, when Rosalie burst in just after four.

"Ok, go get in the shower. Edward can use my bathroom to get ready. We only have an hour Bella." She was a nervous wreck and I really wanted to push her buttons, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. We actually listened to her instructions and headed to get ready. I had just put the finishing touches on my hair, long cascading curls, when Emmett arrived.

"Come on, let's go," he shouted the moment he walked into the apartment. Edward was sitting in the living room waiting for all of us, looking handsome like always. He had a dark grey sweater on, with black dress pants. Casually sexy, I thought to myself. Emmett was dressed similarly in a dark blue sweater, but he had a dress shirt underneath, whereas Edward didn't. Rosalie finally ended up putting on a cute silver cocktail dress.

"You look perfect," I said to Rosalie as Edward helped me put my coat on.

"Well, this is what eight hours of sheer stress and panic looks like," she grinned as Emmett took her hand and led her out of our apartment.

"Are you ready?" asked Edward as I locked the door behind us.

"I have nothing to worry about. At least I'm not in Rose or Jasper's shoes tonight," I laughed, clearly unaware of what was in store for me inside the hallowed halls of the Cullen mansion.

**Edward POV**

_That party last night was awfully crazy I wish we taped it  
I danced my ass off and had this one girl completely naked  
Drink my beer and smoke my weed but my good friends is all I need  
Pass out at 3, wake up at 10, go out to eat then do it again  
Man, I love college_

"What the hell are we listening to?" I asked Emmett as he turned the music up and made us listen to a surprisingly catchy rap song.

"It's called 'I love College' by Asher Roth. He's supposed to be like the next Eminem or something, but I always crank this song up when I head to mom and dads. It gets me in a good mood to deal with all the crap that always goes on," he said loudly, not turning the music down so that we could actually have a conversation.

"You do realize you aren't in college right?" Bella yelled up to Emmett? "Do you even smoke weed or have any friends other than Rosalie?" She was trying to pick on him and it actually seemed like it was working.

"Shut up Bella," snapped Rosalie as she turned her head around to glare at Bella.

"Why does he need to listen to crazy white boy rap music to deal with your parents?" said Bella as she leaned over to me in the car so that I could actually hear her.

"I don't know. I think my parents expect a lot of Emmett since he is the first born," I sighed as I watched Emmett and Rosalie sitting in the front of Emmett's Audi A8, holding hands. I was in the backseat with Bella which would have been great if we were dating. I would be holding her hand, maybe rubbing my fingers along her palm, I might even let her rest her head on my shoulder while we drove through the dark country roads to the Cullen Estate. Instead, we sat in silence listening to whatever the hell random music Emmett put on.

It took almost forty five minutes to get to my parents tonight thanks to the lovely Chicago traffic. They lived in a huge white house, buried into the woods and away from the main road. I used to love the house when I was younger, now it just held the feeling of dread. When we pulled in front, we noticed Alice's Porsche was already parked outside.

"Oh goody, they beat us here," said Rosalie with excitement. "Now I won't be the first to meet the folks." My mother must have been listening for us because the moment we got to the front door, it opened and there she stood, looking as lovely as ever. I seriously doubted that my mother aged after she hit 40, she looked the same as she did when I was in junior high.

"Edward, Emmett, so good to see you again," she said formally as she offered up a quick hug. "And you must be Rosalie and Bella," she added as she looked over at the girls flanking us. "Come on in, Alice and Jasper are already here." I put my hand on the Bella's back, trying to ease her obvious discomfort.

"Are you okay?" I whispered into her ear quietly as she handed me her coat. She just nodded and walked forward behind Rosalie and Esme who were heading to the living room.

"Bella, Rosalie, you guys finally made it," said Alice as she jumped up from the couch and hugged the girls at the same time. "Mind if I sneak you away for a minute?" I just rolled my eyes and made pleasantries with my dad and Jasper as Emmett immediately went to the kitchen and helped himself to a beer. He had promised to be the designated driver and I said he could have one beer, that was it. Apparently he couldn't wait to get the alcohol into his system.

"Edward, how are things going?" asked my dad as he came up beside me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Life has been good. I had an important meeting with a potential publisher on Thursday morning. It went well, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I gave her the first few chapters and she said I should hear back from her before the end of the month." I hadn't even mentioned the details of my meeting to Bella yet, so it seemed a little odd being so open with my dad. Recently I found that I always shared new events in my life with Bella first.

"That's great," he said as he pat me on the back and walked away, clearly not interested in my career. He never really was too supportive of me once I decided I wasn't going to be a doctor like him. He was utterly disappointed when I admitted I wasn't in love with the prospect of spending so many years in school and that I wanted to be an author. Esme supported me unconditionally, so I knew she would be pleased when I told her.

Bella , Alice and Rosalie walked into the living room a few moments later, with big smiles on their faces. "What's going on?" I asked Bella when she returned to my side.

"Nothing actually. Alice just wanted to get away from your parents for a few moments," I laughed as she explained this to me. I guessed that Alice got here quite a while before us and was getting tired of our parents already. It was only a few minutes later that my mother announced that dinner was ready. My parents took their usual seats at the ends of the table while Alice and Jasper sat beside either other, so did Rosalie and Emmett, and Bella sat directly across from me, beside Rosalie. Conversation was actually flowing smoothly when my mom decided to get additional information on her new guests.

"So Bella, Emmett tells me that you are roommates with Rosalie?" she asked easily.

"Yes. We've been friends since grade school, I couldn't imagine living with anyone else in the world. She's the best friend I could have ever asked for," said Bella confidently as she took a bit of her chicken parmesan. Apparently my mother decided to take it easy on us tonight with her experimental cooking.

"And you are also friends with Edward?" asked Esme as she stared at me.

"Yes mother, Bella and I are friends. We met a few months ago. Bella also now works with Alice as well," I added, hoping that she would change topics.

"Alice mentioned that. It's wonderful that you will be joining her little design group. So, how is it that you and Edward met?" My mother was actually starting to sound a bit condescending towards Bella and I had no idea why.

"Mom, would you join me in the kitchen for a moment?" I asked in frustration. I knew this would drive her nuts, she hated when we left the table during a meal, but she stood from her chair and I followed her. "What are you doing?" I asked when we were out of earshot of everyone else.

"Edward, are you blind? That girl wants you. I noticed it the moment you walked in and you slid your arm behind her back to support her. I'm just trying to get a little more information from her. Find out why you guys are apparently just friends. It's clear from the way you are reacting that you like her more than a friend as well." Since when was my mother so perceptive.

"What if I do? Bella and I already talked about this, and she is not interested in a relationship right now. We're great friends, and I don't want to do anything to compromise that, so I want you on your best behavior, all right?" She just nodded her head in agreement.

"Edward, all I want for my children is their happiness. We may be a little rough on you guys but that is because we feel you aren't reaching your full potential. Alice is thriving with Jasper, and your father and I see that. Even Emmett has changed for the better since he met Rosalie, even if it was only a week ago. You on the other hand, I see the biggest change in you. You started writing again, you are talking to publishers according to your father, and you seem extremely happy. I think it has to do with Bella, so sue me if I want to see you happy with her." I offered my mom a sweet hug for being so concerned about me.

"If things change, I'll let you know, but for the rest of the evening, please just treat her like a friend, okay?" I asked, practically begging. It would be just my luck to have my non-existent relationship with Bella ruined by my nosy and intuitive mother. We walked back to the table and I glanced at Bella, trying to tell her with my eyes that everything will be alright.

"So, Jasper, Alice tells me you run a string of galleries in Chicago?" said Rosalie, trying to stir up happier topics at the table. Everything seemed to move smoothly for the rest of the evening. Bella and I each had a couple of drinks, okay more like seven, so I was glad that Emmett had offered to be the DD. While we were waiting for coffee, I offered Bella a tour of the house and she gladly accepted. The last stop on the tour was my bedroom, which hadn't changed much since I was a teenager and left for college.

"This was your bedroom?" she asked as we wandered inside and I closed the door behind us.

"Yeah, you got a problem with that?" She walked over to the wall of windows on the left side of the room and stared out into the dark night in front of us.

"No, this is amazing. I wish I could look at the forest all night," she admitted happily as she pranced around the room, feeling no pain. "So, what did you need to talk to your mom about in the kitchen earlier?" she asked as she started leafing through my books.

"Nothing serious," I lied as I shrugged my shoulders. "I just told her to back off you a little bit."

"Why would you do that?" she said as she put her hands on her hips. She was trying to act all displeased, but instead she just appeared pouty… and sexy as hell.

"Bella, I know my mother very well. She was trying to lead you into questions about you and me, and I just didn't think you should be subjected to it." She smiled sweetly at me and nodded her head.

"Dude, you have Jenga?" she asked, suddenly excited. "Can we bring it back to your place?"

"Sure, but it's actually Alice's. I suppose what she doesn't know won't kill her right?" I laughed as she clutched the box carrying the game closely to her chest. "Listen Drunky McGee, no one is going to steal it from you. Put it on the desk and we will grab it when we leave."

"Drunky McGee? Is that my new nickname?" she asked as she slid up onto my bed and leaned against the headboard, staring out the window into the darkness. I climbed up on the bed and sat in the same position beside her, but I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"Yes, it is." I nodded as I laughed. She just leaned her head against my shoulder and contentedly looked outside. This moment seemed perfect, with the exception of the alcohol we had both consumed, and I desperately wanted to kiss her. I wanted to feel her lips against mine again. I wanted my hands to explore her body again, to worship every single thing about her. She sighed gently and I turned my head to just do it, to kiss her.

"Edward, mom said coffee is ready," said Alice as she burst in the door, interrupting the perfect moment. Bella jumped off the bed happily and ran to Alice's side.

"That Jenga is mine now Alice. Don't steal it." said Bella in a pseudo threatening voice as she headed downstairs to join the rest of the family. Alice gave me a remorseful glance.

"Did I interrupt something?" she asked as we walked downstairs together.

"I was just gonna kiss her, nothing important," I sighed as we walked into the living room where everyone else was waiting for coffee to be served.

"I'm sorry Edward," she said as she offered a little hug.

"It's okay Alice. I shouldn't have even been thinking about it, so it's probably good you came when you did?" I whispered to her so no one else could hear us.

"What did I miss?" asked Bella as she came up beside me, appearing as happy as ever.

"Nothing Bella. Alice just said we could keep her Jenga."


	10. Displaced

**A/N: A sweet little chapter, in my humble opinion. The song mentioned at the end is called "Displaced" by Azure Ray. I love it and it fits perfectly. Whenever I hear the song I think it's about being in love with a friend, but the writer never realizes that this friend is their true love. Take a listen, seriously, go find it, after you read and review this chapter obviously.**

***Disclaimer – characters owned by SM. Words by me.***

**Bella POV**

Things had been weird between Edward and me ever since the Sunday night dinner at his parents two weeks ago. We had both been so busy with work over the past several days, that we rarely even had a chance to talk, and I was even more surprised when he ended up cancelling our plans for this Sunday morning.

"I'm just not feeling well. I think I have the flu or something," claimed Edward as he called me up about twenty minutes before he was due to arrive to my apartment. I was already dressed and ready to go, so I pretended to be okay with everything, when really I was mad I hadn't seen him recently. I grabbed my coat and hailed the first cab I saw, taking it to the local pharmacy to stock up on medicine for him. The cabbie waited and then drove me to Edward's place. I got lucky because I didn't need to be buzzed in, there was an elderly woman coming out of the building and she gladly let me in.

I knocked on his door, still hoping that he was feeling well and that he was trying to ignore me. Not that this would be the ideal situation, but I just hoped he wasn't sick and I was suddenly intruding on him.

He came to the door looking like someone on their death bed and he looked completely shocked to see me standing there. "I come bearing gifts," I said sweetly as I lifted up the bag from the pharmacy filled with various cough medicines and sore throat relievers.

"Thanks," he said gently, as he wandered back into his bedroom. I followed and noticed all the Kleenex that littered the floor. It was actually piled neatly all over his laundry, which was strewn everywhere.

"Was Rosalie in here looking for shoes?" I joked as I started to pick up a few items and threw them into the laundry basket inside his closet.

"What are you doing here Bella?" he asked softly, trying not to talk much.

"I wasn't sure if you were actually sick or avoiding me, so I came to check on you. I figured if you were avoiding me, we could discuss it. But now that I see you are sick, I am now your own personal Florence Nightingale for the day," I said happily as I grabbed all the tissues and put them in the nearest garbage bin. I headed back to the kitchen and grabbed my goody bag from Walgreens. "What's your ailment, Mr. Cullen?" I said sweetly as I climbed up on the bed and felt his forehead for a fever. Nope, no fever.

"You seriously don't have to do this Bella. I'm sure you have better things to do on a Sunday," he said sadly.

"Sorry, no. I had plans with one of my best friends and he is sick, so I am here for him. Whatever you need, I will take care of it."

"What if I need a sponge bath?" he said as he started laughing, which then turned into a nasty hacking cough.

"Then I will hand you a sponge and draw you a bath and go watch something from your DVR." I said as I surveyed the bottles of cough medicine I had bought.

"Ok, Nurse Swan. I have a sore throat, hacking cough, runny nose… all the usual cold stuff." He really did look pretty sick, so I gave him the required dosage of cough medicine and went to the kitchen to check out his fridge. I hadn't eaten yet, so I made us a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, which he was more than pleased with. "That was great Bella. I hadn't eaten in almost three days."

"Edward, you are so stubborn. Why didn't you call me sooner, I would have been over to help," I said as I hopped off the bed and stumbled into his laundry room to start a load of dark clothes for him.

"I didn't want to be a bother. Alice told me how busy you had been since moving into the new office, so I wanted to give you your space. I'm glad things are working out with your career," he said as he started hacking again. I walked over to him and gave him another box of tissues, and tucked him into his bed.

"Wanna watch a movie?" I asked as I finished starting his laundry and stood beside him.

"Sure, nothing funny though. My throat can't handle it." I headed back into the kitchen and made him a big cup of tea. While it was warming up, I ran through his DVD collection and selected 'The Graduate. It's got comedy, drama, romance_._ When I got back into the bedroom, I handed him his tea and put the movie on. "Good choice, you get a little bit of everything with this movie," he said happily, as I crawled up beside him in bed.

We laid contentedly in bed for what seemed like forever. I kept getting up to work on Edward's laundry even though he glared at me when I did it. I didn't mind at all, he was genuinely sick and I wanted to take care of him. A little while later, I fetched him a bowl of soup for lunch and made myself a sandwich. This was the kind of lazy Sunday I could see myself having years from now with Edward, which kind of troubled me. Even with my last boyfriend, who had stomped on my heart, I didn't picture us in the future. But here I sat beside my best friend, wishing it could come true.

"Do you want to watch something else?" Edward asked after we had finished the movie and an episode of 'Scrubs' from his DVR

"Scrubs hasn't been the same since they put it on ABC," I commented casually.

"Yeah, I know. It's not as funny or crude anymore. All the storylines are more serious. At least the same actors are there. I still love Turk." I nodded my head in agreement and wandered back into the living room to select something. This time I wandered back in with 'Say Anything' starring John Cusack, _sigh_. Edward just smiled as I showed him the selection and put in his DVD Player. This time when I crawled back onto the bed, I rested my head against his chest and wrapped my arm around his waist. He sighed gently and slid down onto the bed a little bit more, but I didn't budge. I finally noticed I was boiling hot beside him. I sat up and pulled off my sweater, leaving me in a small t-shirt and I resumed my position against his chest.

"Lloyd Dobler is such an unfortunate name," I remarked carelessly when I noticed Edward was running his fingers through my hair gently. "But I always loved this movie. It's the classic 'underdog gets the girl scenario'."

"I always thought Corey was funny. I loved how she wrote like 65 songs about Joe," said Edward as he coughed lightly.

"Did you know that after I saw this movie I started marking words off in my dictionary that I had to look up," I said happily. Edward just looked down at me like I was kidding.

"I took up kickboxing," he laughed.

"Seriously?"

"No, not seriously Bella. It's a movie for god sakes." We both giggled together, although his was obviously sexier than it should have been.

"It was after this movie that I began my lifelong crush with John Cusack," I admitted. "I own all his good movies. None of that chick flick fluff, with the exception of this one."

"then what are you doing with me?" Edward asked with a sly smile.

"Easy, John Cusack is unattainable and you and I are just friends. If I saw him walking down the street though, I would probably throw myself at him, so I hope you are prepared for the possibility," I chuckled happily. "After all, he does live in Chicago."

"I gave her my heart… and she gave me a pen," quoted Edward perfectly in time with the movie. "If some girl ever gives me a pen after I confess my love to them, I might need to go drown myself in the Chicago River."

"If some girl gives you a pen instead of a declaration of love, she's a fucking idiot," I said proudly as we went back to watching the movie.

When it was almost over, Edward finally fell asleep. I hopped off the bed and finished his laundry, leaving him alone in the bedroom. When everything was folded or put away in the closet, I headed into the kitchen to make us some dinner. He didn't have a lot in the fridge, so I ended up calling out to some Chinese restaurant he had a menu for on his fridge. He had a few things circled, so I decided to order one of everything.

"I thought you had left me," he said as he wandered into the kitchen a little before dinner arrived. He looked so sad, with a big blanket wrapped around him. I made him sit on the couch and told him I had ordered us some Chinese. He seemed pleased and even informed me that his appetite was coming back."I'm sorry I felt asleep during the movie," he said unhappily.

"Don't worry Edward, you were only asleep for about half an hour. Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"Maybe later, I'll eat dinner first and then we can discuss sleep again. When do I get my next dosage of medicine Nurse Swan?" he asked sarcastically. I looked at his clock and immediately went to fetch the cold medicine that was still on his nightstand. I measured out the dosage and handed him the small cup. Edward took the liquid easily and then looked at me thoughtfully. "Thanks for coming today. You really have made me feel a lot better," he said as he got off the couch and pulled me in for a big bear hug.

"No problem, but can you loosen your grip, I need to breathe a little."

**Edward POV**

It was shortly after I put her down from our hug that there was a knock on the door and our dinner had arrived. "Did you order everything they had?" I asked as I checked out the almost $75 of Chinese food that had been delivered. Usually my meals from this place cost like $20.

"Well, I saw the menu on the fridge and you had a bunch of things circled, so I ordered one of each." She looked so adorable as she recounted the story to me. I burst out in a fit of laughter though.

"Bella, those circles were from when I had a bunch of college friends over one weekend. There was like 8 of us. I hope you're hungry," I smirked at her.

"Well, now you have leftovers for weeks," she laughed as she served herself some general tso chicken and rice. We talked happily through dinner, although this time is was more of a critical analysis of the work of Cameron Crowe. Bella thought 'Say Anything' was his best film, whereas I thought it was 'Almost Famous'. The inevitable bickering began at that point and lasted well past dinner was finished. During our debate, I kept trying to find a way to get Bella to stay with me overnight. I thought if I coughed some more or acted more sick that I was at this point that she would be willing to stay.

"I am going to run you a shower. You smell like Vicks Vaporub and soup," she said as she had finished cleaning up the dishes from dinner, which she refused my help with.

"What about that sponge bath, Nurse Bella?" I asked with a sly smile. Bella rolled her eyes back into her head and went into my bathroom to get the water running. When I finally stepped out of the shower almost 20 minutes later, she had laid out a pair of pajamas on my bed and had cleaned up again. I stepped out into the living room; she was nowhere to be found, but there was a note on my counter. God how I dreaded her notes. The last note she left was after our first night together. This one couldn't be as bad as the last one.

_Edward,_

_I took your car to go pick up a few things at my place. You're too sick to be alone tonight; I will be back as soon as possible. I already called Alice and I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Get some rest._

_Bella_

That was certainly a better note and I could officially stop worrying about how to convince her to stay the night. While she was gone I made myself another cup of tea and got back into bed and started replaying the events of the day in my head. While we were watching 'Say Anything', I couldn't help but feel that these were things I would do with my girlfriend if I was sick. She would comfort me by putting her head on my chest, and I would twirl her hair through my fingers while discussing the fact that Ione Skye was now married to one of the Beastie Boys. It was perfect; too bad she wasn't my girlfriend and seemed insistent that it would never happen.

I was on the verge of falling asleep when Bella finally returned almost an hour after I had gotten into the shower. She actually had a fairly big duffle bag of stuff with her.

"Moving in?" I asked, praying that it was true. _Please god, if you are there, it's me Edward…_

"No, I just brought some essentials, like pj's and clothes for tomorrow," said Bella. The first thing she pulled out of her bag though was candles.

"You need mood lighting? What are we doing tonight Bella?" I asked with a slight smile.

"It's soothing and calming. I thought it would help you feel better," she said casually, clearly not getting my joke. I just shrugged my shoulders and watched her dance around my room and to light various candles. She slipped into the bathroom for a moment and came out in what looked like the comfiest red plaid flannel pajamas.

"Sexy, for a lumberjack," I said sarcastically even though I did find it adorable. "Do they come with a booty flap for easy access?"

"They're not feety pajamas Edward. Its two pieces. I don't pull out the feety pjs until I've known a guy at least 5 months," she said as she slid into bed beside me. We settled on watching the new episode of 'The Amazing Race' and spent most of the night discussing our mutual love of travel.

"I think Ireland is the coolest place I have ever been, but I'm dying to go to Australia one day," she admitted during one of the commercials.

"I've never been there either. My favorite place though was St. Lucia. I love just lying on the beach reading a book," I admitted, trying not to sound like a dork for loving the beach as much as I do. "It sucks to live in Chicago, sure Lake Michigan is nearby but there are no cool beaches." I could imagine Bella lying on a beach somewhere hot with me. I would read a book; she would take photos of us together, of me reading, of the people surrounding us. Of course, I would prefer a private beach where I could show her constantly how much I loved her.

"Are you okay?" she asked after a couple of minutes of silence on my part.

"Yeah," I said as I faked a light cough and she laid her head on my chest again. "Just getting tired is all."

"Well then, why don't we just blow out the candles, put on some sleeping music and head to bed?" Bella asked as she popped out of bed and immediately blew out the three candles she had lit. I didn't want to admit it to her, but they had actually been rather calming.

"Define sleeping music?" I asked as Bella wandered into the living room and began going through my CD's.

"I dunno," she yelled from the other room. "I usually fall asleep to classical or Coldplay or something like that." Bella ended up coming back into the room with a CD by Azure Ray and put it into my stereo in the bedroom. She climbed back into bed with me, laying her head against my chest again and turned on the first song, _displaced._ I stroked her hair gently as I fell asleep listening to the gentle lyrics…

_It's just a simple line  
I can still hear it all of the time  
If i can just hold on tonight  
I know that nothing  
Nothing survives  
Nothing survives  
I think i'm turned around  
I'm looking up  
Not looking down  
And when i'm standing still  
Watching you run  
Watching you fall  
Fall into me  
Am i making something worthwhile out of this place  
Am i making something worthwhile out of this chase  
I am displaced  
I am displaced  
And she's my friend of all friends  
She's still here when everyone's gone  
She doesn't have to say a thing  
We'll just keep laughing all night long  
All night long  
Am i making something worthwhile out of this place  
Am i making something worthwhile out of this chase  
I am displaced  
I am displaced  
It's just a simple line  
I can still hear it all of the time  
If i can just hold on tonight  
I know that no one  
No one survives  
No one survives._


	11. Rootless Tree

**A/N: So I got into a bit of a groove, so here's another chapter. Lucky readers! In response to some people's comments, yes, Bella is that dumb. Well not really. She has just been hurt before, explanation coming soon, and she is doing everything in her power to ignore the feelings she has for Edward. And thanks for the suggestion YankeeDiva, naked Jenga may need to happen in some later chapters ******** LOL**

***Disclaimer goes here***

**Bella POV**

It was almost the end of January and things were slightly back to normal. Edward was finally feeling better and we resumed our usual Sunday morning get togethers. I had even seen him a few other times, and would be seeing him tonight at an art show that Alice was strong arming us all to go to at one of Jasper's galleries. Rosalie and Emmett were still going strong, which was still a surprise to me, and work was better than ever. Ever since I had been hired on with Alice, I had been getting work thrown my way constantly, and luckily for me, it wasn't the weddings and baby showers that I had gotten previously. As I finished up some work for the night, Alice wandered into my office with a big garment bag.

"I got you and Rose something special to wear tonight. The blue is for you, the black for Rose," she said happily. "They are just on loan though, so don't fuck them up." Alice actually sounded very threatening.

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"Just two new cocktail dresses from the Alice Cullen 2009 Winter line. I'm sure all the girls at the show will be envious of you guys." She just smiled and walked away, leaving the garment bag on my coat rack inside my office door. When I got home a little while later, Rosalie was already completed dressed, and Emmett was lounging around in a nice white button down shirt and tie.

"I have bad news," I said as I walked in, shielding the bag behind me. "You need to go get changed." Rosalie looked at me as though she was going to shove my head in the oven and turn it on.

"Why would I do that Bella, I look fabulous," she said with conviction. I held up the garment bag and her eyes lit up. "What is that?"

"This my dear Rose are two dresses from the yet unseen Alice Cullen Winter 2009 line. Yours is the black one." Rosalie practically pounced on me and snatched the bag from my hand eagerly. Emmett gave her a huge smile and watched as she headed into her room to inspect the goods. Both dresses were beautiful, and Rosalie lucked out because she didn't need to change anything else she was wearing. Her dress was a simple black number with beaded fringe around the bottom hem. It fit her like a glove and when she walked out and showed Emmett, he started whistling at her in approval.

I grabbed my dress and walked into my room to get ready. It only took half an hour for Rosalie to stomp in muttering that we would be late if I didn't get my act together. The last thing I had to do was my hair, and since Rose was getting impatient, I just pulled it back into a cute ponytail and decided that was good enough. My dress fit perfectly of course, not that I had expected anything less from Alice. We had gotten pretty lucky because it wasn't a super cold night in Chicago. Well it was cold enough for Chicago at the end of January, but not freezing and windy. Alice had given me a medium blue dress that seemed a little short to actually be a dress. It went to mid thigh, and had some really cute pleating straight down the middle of the sleeveless dress, with a cute bow that wrapped right underneath my breasts.

"Damn Bella, you look smoking," said Emmett when I finally walked out into the living room to grab my coat. I blushed at the compliment. "Edward won't be able to keep his hands off you."

"What did you say?" I asked with a hint of anger to my voice. "Edward and I are just friends. How many times do I have to tell you people this?" Emmett just laughed at me and helped Rosalie on with her coat. I fumed at him as we headed downstairs to his car and drove downtown to meet up with Alice, Jasper and Edward at the gallery.

When we walked in, Alice immediately ran over to us as I scanned the room and didn't see Edward anywhere. She took our coats and handed them to one of the employees, telling them to place them in Jasper's office, not the coat room.

"You guys look awesome," she chirped as she checked out her dresses. "Damn, I knew that blue one would look good on you Bella. Almost every single male here is looking at you, and some of the not so single ones." Rosalie and Alice then fell into their own little world discussing the intricate bead work that went into Rose's dress while Emmett and I wandered over to the bar and got ourselves something to drink.

"Red wine, a beer and what do you want Bella?" asked Emmett casually.

"Gin and Tonic please," I replied nonchalantly, still looking for Edward.

"You okay Bella?" he asked as he handed me my drink a moment later.

"Yeah, everything is just fine. I feel a little self conscious in this dress, that's all." I admitted nervously.

"Well, if anyone bothers you, let me know. I'll take them out back and give them the Emmett Cullen special," he laughed as he walked away and handed Rosalie her wine. I wanted to follow him quickly and inquire what the 'Emmett Cullen special' consisted of, but instead I got pulled into a conversation at the bar.

"I'll have whatever she's having," said the fairly attractive guy standing behind me.

"Classic line," I said as I turned around to face him. He was cute enough, probably in his mid twenties. He looked like the starving artist type, and desperately needed a shave.

"Thanks. I don't have much raw material to work with these days. Busy with work and all that," he replied as he took a big sip of his drink. "I'm Noah," he said politely as he extended his hand.

"Bella," I replied casually as I shook his hand. Then I suddenly realized the reason why I was in this place. "Let me guess, you are Noah, the artist being featured here tonight?" I asked curiously as he shook his head.

"Guilty as charged. What do you think of the exhibit?"

"I haven't had a chance to look at it actually," I admitted. "The moment I got here, I was bombarded by Alice and quickly helped myself to a drink."

"Well, take a look and let me know Bella," he said as he walked away, but not before turning back to check me out again.

"Flirting already?" asked Alice as she found me checking out a few of the paintings a little while later.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you chatting up Noah earlier at the bar. He's a major man whore though, so be careful," she said sweetly as she stared at the painting with me. "Edward's running late by the way. He called about half an hour ago to let me know."

"Why does everyone treat me like I am dating Edward?" I asked as I waved my hands in frustration.

"Bella, don't get offended. I'm just letting you know. I'm not implying anything. Edward has told me that you guys are just close friends, so relax. I'm on your side, remember?" she said as she gave me a small hug. When I opened my eyes, I noticed Noah staring in our direction. I continued my casual walk around the gallery when suddenly Noah was by my side again.

"So, what is it that you do Bella?" he asked curiously as we both stared at one of his larger works. It appeared that it had been done entirely with ballpoint pen, interesting.

"I'm a photographer actually," I said simply.

"Like weddings and babies or something a little more creative?"

"If I said I worked at the Wal-Mart Portrait Studio, would it really make a difference?" I asked curiously.

"Not really," admitted Noah as he shrugged his shoulders. He was slightly intriguing, but more annoying than anything else.

"I currently work as the primary photographer for Alice Cullen designs, but also take odd jobs on the side, while working on my own collection. I've actually been thinking about talking to Jasper about doing a show for me in a few months." I said, revealing something to this perfect stranger that I hadn't shared with anyone else.

"That's awesome. You'll have to let me know when it is so that I can come and pretend to pay attention to your photos like you are with my art," he laughed as he ran his fingers through his long dark blonde hair. Suddenly, Noah's entire demeanor changed as I felt a hand slip behind my waist and a sexy voice whisper in my ear.

"Sorry I'm late," Edward said sweetly as he pulled me closer to him. I just looked at him with complete surprise.

"That's fine. Edward, this is Noah. Noah, this is Edward. He's Alice's brother," I said making the awkward introductions.

"Pleasure to meet you Noah. You have some excellent work here," said Edward as he glanced quickly around the room. "I hope you don't mind if I steal my girl from you for a moment?" Noah just shook his head and wandered back through the gallery to talk to one of his many friends who had apparently arrived.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked as I shoved his hand from my waist.

"Nothing. I saw him looking at you like he wanted to have his way with you in front of everyone here. You looked a bit uncomfortable and I thought I would help. Sorry I bothered," he said as he wandered towards the bar to get himself a drink. I was beyond frustrated. Was I throwing out signals to Noah that I was interested, because I wasn't. Why would Edward think I need to be rescued in the first place, and where the hell had he been all evening, it was after ten.

"Are we going soon?' I asked when I found Rosalie and Emmett a few minutes later.

"No. Rosalie had a great idea to go to this cool little Karaoke bar down the street, what do you think?" asked Emmett as his hand ran up and down Rosalie's thigh. "Did Edward get here yet?"

"Yeah, he's here somewhere, and the only way I am doing Karaoke is if I am completely wasted, so let's go so that I can get my drink on," I said as I grabbed Rosalie's hand and pulled her towards Alice.

"Tonight was really fun Alice, but we're heading out," I said quickly. "We suddenly have a hankering for some bad 80's music being sung by crazy drunk people."

"Ooh Karaoke. Can I come?" Rosalie nodded her head as Alice instructed the person by the door to go and fetch all of our coats from Jasper's office. Rosalie and I went to say goodbye to Jasper and thank him for the evening, when Emmett and Edward came over to join us. "Let's go," said Alice as she grabbed my hand and led me from the gallery. As expected, Edward was joining us. _Oh Goody._

**Edward POV**

I don't know what had gotten into Bella tonight. She was dressed indecently in my opinion, and then when I found her talking to Noah, she just looked uncomfortable. I thought it would calm her a bit if I came over and pretended to be her boyfriend, but my good intentions had the opposite effect. Now she was upset and completely ignoring me. Emmett informed me that he was taking all three girls to a local Karaoke bar and I invited myself, primarily because I was worried for Bella's well being, and I also wanted to see her sing some shitty 80's song.

The moment we walked into the bar, Rose and Bella headed straight to the bar while Emmett and Alice got a quick playlist of the available songs. The girls joined us at our booth, with Bella sitting as far from me as possible, holding two Gin and Tonics. "Liquid courage", she said to Alice when she got a weird glance from her. Rosalie was the first to get on the stage and immediately began a startlingly horrible version of 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' by Cyndi Lauper. Of course, the entire time she was up there, Alice and Bella were hooting and hollering, encouraging the disaster laid before us.

"I know, she can't sing," sighed Emmett as he shot me a remorseful glance.

"She's having fun though, so who cares right?" I lied. I had never wanted to gauge out my own ear drums with a fork, but this moment was very tempting. I had seen Alice sing before, so I wasn't overly concerned when she took the stage. She had decided to sing 'Two Pina Colada's' by Garth Brooks, and the primarily business attired guests in the bar were all singing along with her. It was actually pretty funny. The audience was cheering wildly when she got off the stage and she looked exhausted.

"Long day?" I asked her, sounding concerned.

"Yeah, I slept at the studio last night, and then we had the gallery thing, so I'm pretty tired. The booze and music are giving me my second wind though," she admitted as she took a drink of something way too large and fruity for consumption by any straight male. Bella was now working on her third drink since we walked in and was still analyzing the song list, trying to pick something.

"Need help?" I offered solemnly as she glared at me.

"What are you singing?" she asked curiously as she played with the coaster in front of her.

"Oh, I'm not singing. I get the pleasure of shuttling your drunken asses home when the festivities end," I said as I held up my coke, with no alcohol in it. Bella just nodded her head and went back to analyzing the song list. Emmett took the reins next and shocked us all by singing 'The Only Living Boy in New York' by Simon and Garfunkel. Bella and I looked at each other in surprise, our eyes saying the same thing _I had no idea he knew who Simon and Garfunkel were!_

Rosalie was standing up and cheering for him when he finally finished his song. We all relaxed for a little while, enjoying the other people who went up to embarrass the hell out of themselves.

"Bella, did you pick something yet?" asked Alice impatiently. I saw her check her cell phone to see what time it was. Almost midnight. "You must have enough booze in you by now right?" Bella just nodded her head.

"I can't decide between two songs," she admitted with a bit of a frown.

"So sing both of them," said Emmett as Rosalie sat down on his lap after getting herself another margarita.

"That would require more alcohol than I care to think about," said Bella cautiously. Suddenly she rose from her seat and wandered up to the front, to make her selection and take the stage. I recognized the song immediately, 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' by U2. Decent choice, I thought to myself, but Bella abruptly went stiff and didn't start singing. She leaned down to the young guy who was in charge of the songs, and whispered something to him quickly. All four of us looked around at each other wondering what the hell she was doing. The song changed quickly to 'Rootless Tree' by Damien Rice and I was flabbergasted. I knew the lyrics, and I immediately wondered if I did something wrong. There was definitely something going on.

Bella handled the first two verses pretty well, her voice crackling slightly as she looked over in our direction. When the chorus hit, her voice got infinitely louder and she was practically yelling them across the room.

_So fuck you, fuck you, fuck you  
And all we've been through  
I said leave it, leave it, leave it  
It's nothing to you  
And if you hate me, hate me, hate me  
Then hate me so good that you can let me out  
Let me out of this hell when you're around  
Let me out, let me out,  
Let me out of this hell when you're around  
Let me out, let me out_

"Is she singing to you man?" asked Emmett loud enough for the entire table to hear.

"I hope not. We had a little falling out earlier, but nothing that could equal the amount of sheer hatred she is singing with," I said, hopeful that I was right and that she wasn't singing about me. She continued the song, getting more forceful and determined with each word. If the words weren't so hurtful, and if I was sure she wasn't singing about me, this would have been a major turn on for me. During the last round of the chorus, Bella started pointing into the crowd when she sang 'so_ fuck you and all we've been through'_ and she wasn't randomly picking on people. There was a fairly tall guy in the back who was now the focus of her attention.

"What the fuck?" asked Emmett as Rosalie whispered into his ear and then covered her mouth in shock.

"What?" I asked confused even more than I already was.

"That's Bella's ex, Seth, the one that stomped on her heart. He's the reason she won't date you," sighed Emmett as I began staring daggers at the prick that had broken Bella's heart a few months ago. When the song finally ended, she got a rousing round of applause from the audience, who had apparently found her performance very interesting. Seth started walking towards the stage, but Bella jumped off quickly and ran back to our table. She gave me a look that said 'help me' and the moment she got close enough to me, she straddled my lap and began kissing me passionately. Apparently my new job was to make the old boyfriend jealous, and right now, I didn't mind one bit.

**A/N: what would your Karaoke song be? Mine would probably be Revelry by the Kings of Leon.**


	12. Karma Police

**A/N: First of all, lysvia I hope you have/had a great flight. We'll talk more when you get settled. Taper Jean Girl would be my second choice of a Karaoke song, followed by any song by the Tragically Hip (Canadian band). Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews, keep em coming and I will keep the chapters coming!**

**I don't own the characters… blah blah blah**

**Edward POV**

"Please follow my lead," Bella whispered, practically begging, into my ear. Seth was obviously still approaching the table because Bella was kissing and grinding on me harder than ever. My hands grasped her hips and I could feel that her sorry excuse for a dress had ridden up a little too high on her hips. I pulled desperately at the hem, trying to pull the dress down as far as it would go. I'm sure most of the bar had gotten a good glimpse of her panties, which were probably as miniscule as the dress.

"Rosalie," said Seth politely as Bella kept up her movements on my face and crotch.

"Seth," she replied tersely.

"Bella, can we talk for a moment?" Seth asked in frustration over the scene unfolding in front of him. Bella pulled from our embrace and then leaned in to whisper to me again.

"I will owe you forever if you play along with this." I just nodded my head and she turned her waist to address him.

"I'm surprised to see you here," said Bella as I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me. She gave me a small smirk, apparently pleased with my attempts to make Seth jealous.

"Yeah well, this isn't the kind of place I tend to visit. Can we talk in private?"

"Not bloody likely," she spit angrily at him. "Anything you want to say to me can be said in front of my boyfriend and best friends." I gave her a sly grin.

"Edward Cullen," I said as I extended my hand politely to Seth, who didn't take it. He just glared at me like I had kicked his puppy or run over his mother with his car.

"Cullen," Seth said, clearly thinking hard based on the expression on his face. "Doesn't your family own the Chicago Journal?"

"Yes they do, in addition to several other companies and major properties. We come from a big rich family," I said sarcastically as I rolled my eyes.

"Well Bella, I see you've obviously moved up in the world," he said angrily. I wanted to stand up and punch him in the face, but Bella was still all over me and I couldn't move. Actually, I didn't want to move, it was a little too exciting for me to have Bella straddling me like she was.

"Anything is a step up from you, Seth. I just got very lucky with Edward, he's the perfect man for me," Bella said happily as she ran her fingers through my hair, down my jaw line and leaned in for a kiss.

"Isn't that an understatement," said Alice under her breath. Emmett and I had both heard her, but it looked like Rosalie and Bella hadn't.

"And you would be?" asked Seth as he raised an eye brow curiously in Alice's direction.

"I'm Alice Cullen. Sister to Edward and Emmett," she said happily, waving to Emmett who looked just as angry as I did that Seth had interrupted the night.

"Seriously Bella, can we please talk. It's hard to apologize with all your friends glaring at me like they are plotting to kill me," he sighed.

"Well, did you ever think that perhaps we have a good reason to look at you like that?" snapped Rosalie. She looked like a protective mama bear, and it was great to see someone being so loyal of Bella.

"Go away Rosalie, don't you have some rich old guy to latch onto?" replied Seth crudely.

"Actually Seth, Emmett here is my boyfriend, and I'm sure he's just dying to get you alone and show you the Emmett Cullen Special," yelled Rosalie in fury. Bella looked at me with the sad face she put on every Sunday afternoon when we had to go our own ways, so I knew she was going to go talk to him. I reluctantly released my grip on her hips and watched her stand up.

"We're going to go sit over at the table right over there." It was directly in my eye line thankfully. "I'll be right back," said Bella as she turned to walk away and I pulled the hem of her dress down again.

"Where the fuck did she get that dress? Could it be any smaller?" I said in sheer frustration.

"It's from Alice's Winter 2009 collection," laughed Rosalie as I immediately gave Alice a death glare. I turned my attention back to the table where Bella sat with Seth and kept a close eye on them as they spoke. I couldn't hear what was being said, but it looked like Bella was holding her own.

"She won't go back to him," said Rosalie confidently. "He fucked with her a little too much. I had been trying to get her to dump him for several months before she finally broke it off." I just shrugged my shoulders, because in the time I've known Bella, we never once talked about Seth or any of our ex's. I peered back to the table again and Bella winced in pain as Seth grabbed her arm forcefully.

"Emmett, time to go," I said angrily as we both jumped up and were at the table in seconds. "Let go of her."

"Fuck off, we're talking here" said Seth angrily.

"Well she doesn't look comfortable, so let go of her or we'll take this outside and I promise it won't be pleasant for you," yelled Emmett, as some of the patrons of the bar turned around to see what was happening. Seth finally released her arm and Bella immediately started rubbing the spot he had grabbed with her other hand.

"Are you okay Bella?" I asked with concern and she simply nodded her head. "Hands off asshole, she's not yours anymore," I said furiously as Emmett and I walked back towards our table. We didn't sit down though. We stood with our arms crossed, watching the rest of their exchange.

"When are you going to tell her you love her?" asked Emmett, as we watched them.

"What are you talking about man?" I asked Emmett, a little frustrated that everyone seemed to know how I felt about Bella except her.

"Tell her dude. She wants you too. Rosalie has a theory that Bella is just afraid to move ahead with you because of how Seth treated her. I hope she's realizing right now how good she has it with you and you guys can move on." I was surprised that Emmett was spouting words of wisdom. I just patted him on the shoulder and gave him a reassuring look.

"If it's meant to happen, it will happen, right? Look at you and Rosalie. For years all you could talk about was being with a Supermodel. Then you land one, and sure enough, she's everything you ever wanted. If Bella and I are meant to be, I have faith that it will happen," I said as I glared at her sitting with Seth.

"Okay dude, but honestly, I couldn't just sit here and watch this shit," he said as he remained in his position beside me. "I feel like a secret service agent, minus the cool suit and sunglasses." I laughed easily at him and then Bella walked away from the table and back towards me.

"Can you take me home?" she asked as she reached down and held my hand. "To our place," she added, loud enough that Seth could hear her.

"Are you guys alright to get home?" I asked Emmett. He just nodded and I grabbed our coats from the booth and helped her slip hers on. When we looked back at the table, Seth was still sitting there, looking completely defeated. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and led her from the bar. As we walked past Seth, I just smiled brightly and kissed Bella on the head. I felt like I had just won the lottery.

"Are you alright?" I asked when we finally got into my car and I cranked the heat up, imagining that she had to be pretty cold in that swatch of fabric she called a dress.

"Yeah. I actually feel a bit better," she sighed as she fumbled with the radio looking for something good. "I was finally able to say a lot of the things that I didn't say when we broke up."

"Care to share?" I asked politely. I really wanted to know what had gone down, but I didn't want to pry too much.

"Nothing special, I just laid into him for cheating on me."

"He cheated on you? Is he blind? Look at you, you're gorgeous." I hoped I hadn't gone over some line, but she just looked at me and mouthed 'thank you'. "If you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to."

"How about we talk about it when we are back at your place, and I am dressed in something a little more comfortable." I nodded my head.

"I can't believe Alice and Rosalie let you go out like that. You are absolutely indecent. Fucking sexy as hell, but looking at you feels illegal in all 50 states."

"Yeah well, I was looking for some attention tonight, and I got it from all the wrong people. First there was Noah at the gallery, and then Seth couldn't stop commenting about it. Thank god it goes back to Alice after the dry cleaners." I reminded myself to berate Alice for giving Bella something to wear that looked like that.

Bella finally stopped going through the radio when she found the country music channel and began singing along with the man hating tune playing.

"Country Bella, really?" I asked curiously.

"I listen to everything; you should know this by now Edward. Now just drive or I'll drag you to a Kenny Chesney or Brad Paisley concert," she laughed and punched me gently on the shoulder. I just nodded my hair in agreement and kept driving. We were at my apartment only fifteen minutes and four heinous country songs later. I think I might have driven a bit faster when I realized she wouldn't let me change the radio station.

The moment we were in the apartment, Bella ran right into my room and pulled out a t-shirt and boxers and then immediately started changing. I didn't even bother keeping out. We had so many sleepovers lately, and I had already seen it all, so Bella didn't care anymore. She was a lot more carefree when it was just the two of us. I changed in the bathroom into some sweatpants and my holey Pearl Jam t-shirt and found her in the living room on the floor, playing with my stereo.

"What's going on here?" I asked as I sat down beside her and propped my back against the couch.

"We're going to listen to some music, each of us taking turns on our choice of song, and I will tell you about me and Seth," she said sweetly. I could tell she was still kinda feeling a buzz of all the booze she had tonight.

"Sounds good. Who goes first?"

"I do," she said as she grabbed the first disc and put it in, skipping to the song she wanted, 'Eleanor Rigby' by the Beatles.

**Bella POV**

"So, here's the long drawn out story. Ask questions whenever you want." Edward nodded his head and listened in anticipation for the story of my heartbreak. "Seth and I dated for almost three years. We broke up last summer; and after that Rose spent all her time setting me up on blind dates, which was of course, how I met you."

I fidgeted slightly, but I watched Edward intently, and I knew he desperately wanted to know the details and try to help me move on, so I kept talking.

"He took photojournalism at the university where Rosalie and I attended, so we met one day in the darkroom and of course, he was charming and all that shit. I was not interested though because when I was 21, everything in my life was about my career and education. I don't come from money and I was on scholarship, so I couldn't risk losing it, so I basically ignored him for weeks." Edward just nodded for me to continue. "One day he showed up with some photo paper wrapped in a bow for me and I let my guard down and agreed to a date. We started seeing each other more often after that and next thing you know, we were dating exclusively."

"Rosalie hates him with a passion. Why is that?" asked Edward curiously as he looked through some CD's, trying to decide what song to put on.

"She never liked him, ever. In the early days, he tried being sweet with her, but she didn't care for his bad-boy attitude that he had going on. She was always trying to get me to break up with him, especially when things got worse between us." I looked down and was pretty quiet. The Beatles ended so Edward put in his choice, 'Paint it Black' by the Rolling Stones.

"Almost two years into the relationship, Seth had graduated, a year late, but he still did it. He had trouble getting work and was practically mooching off of my generosity. His roommates kept threatening to kick him out of his apartment, he was rarely around and would show up at my place at like 3 o'clock in the morning, and Rosalie was always pissed when that would happen. I tried to be the supportive girlfriend, figure out what was wrong with him and help him. I didn't know he was beyond help but then I found him a few days later doing lines off my bathroom counter and I kicked him out." The more I spoke to Edward, the more I felt like a big weight was being released off my shoulders.

"He kept coming back though, and I kept letting it happen. He would apologize and tell me he was getting clean, but he never did. He first started becoming verbally abusive with Rosalie, when I left them alone one day to run to the store for a few items. When I came back, Rose was calling the cops to get him out of our apartment."

"Ah, I like Rosalie more and more," he joked, trying to break the tension in the room from my story.

"Are you going to let me finish?" I said as I gave him a little scowl. Edward nodded his hair and I watched as a few strands fell over his eyes and he pushed them back. "So, Seth ended up leaving for rehab at the persistence of his parents and he was gone for a few weeks. When he came back, he didn't seem any better. If anything, he seemed more distant. We never went to his apartment anymore; I couldn't answer his cell phone or even look at who was calling. This was about a year ago now. He became possessive of me and even though he insisted he was sober, I knew he wasn't. He started becoming verbally abusive with me, and I couldn't handle it. When I finally got a hold of his cell phone in June, I think, I found that he had a ton of extremely obscene text messages from some chick named Carly. Apparently he had met and fucked her, while in rehab. Classy huh?"

"Oh yeah, he's a real winner. No wonder you don't want to date anyone," he sighed as he watched me put the next CD in, this time it was 'Blasphemous Rumors' by Depeche Mode. "Interesting selection."

"So, that brings us to this past summer. I was away in Seattle for a few weeks doing a freelance assignment, and when I came back, I found him in bed with Carly at his place. Apparently she had moved in with him when she got out of rehab, which was why I wasn't allowed at his apartment. We got into a major fight; there were a lot of curse words, breaking of shit, you know the drill. He kept insisting he didn't want to break up with either of us, but in the end he picked her."

"That man is a fool for picking her over you. You do know that right?" he asked as he put his finger under my chin and lifted my head up.

"I know that now." I said blissfully.

"So what happened tonight?" Edward asked with his eye brow raised in curiosity.

"He told me that they split up. He spent most of the conversation complimenting me and apologizing for being a complete prick. I told him that I was trying to move on and then I told him to go fuck himself, which was when he grabbed my arm." I looked up at Edward and he was fuming as he recalled that incident. I watched Edwards' eyes drift to my arm and he saw the slight bruise that had formed from Seth's fingers.

"Does it hurt?" he asked as he ran his fingers gently over my bruise.

"Nah, its fine. Anyways, he asked if we could get together for coffee or dinner, and I turned him down. He kept asking me about you and how serious we were, all that kind of crap. I let him know that you are my best friend and are ten times the boyfriend he ever was. He tried to give me his new number, but I wouldn't take it. I asked him how he knew where I was, and get this, he is friends with Noah the artist Jasper was featuring tonight. Noah called him boasting about the hot chick, me apparently, that he had met and Seth put two and two together and went to the gallery. I guess Jasper or someone told him where we were." I sighed in relief, finally glad to have told Edward everything.

"If Jasper told him, I'm seriously going to beat the crap out of him and Alice will be so angry," said Edward as he put another song on, 'Karma Police' by Radiohead.

"Let's not worry about it okay? It's water under the bridge. I'm pretty sure he won't be bothering me anymore and I feel relieved and sort of vindicated. I didn't get to release my three and a half years of pent up anger at him, but what I said made me feel a lot better." I said, really pleased with the outcome of the evening.

"So, you feel like you have closure now?" asked Edward as he tapped his finger on the coffee table in time with the beat of the music.

"Yeah, I do. I guess I just needed to see him again and get a few things off my chest. Rosalie will be so proud," I gushed happily.

"So, if you feel better about everything and have decided you have moved on, when are you going to let me take you on a real date?" asked Edward as he reached up and grabbed my hand gently, rubbing my palm with his fingers.

"What?" I asked, a little dumbstruck.

"Will you go out with me?"


	13. Let Your Honesty Shine

**A/N: Here's this morning's chapter… the big build up to the inevitable date, which will be featured in the next chappie. Enjoy, and thanks for all the reviews, I'm finally over 100, which to me is a major feat. The date will probably be pretty fluffy, so keep your eyes peeled for it later today.**

***I don't own the characters, Stephenie Meyer does. I just wrote these silly words***

**Bella POV**

"So, what did you tell him Bella?" asked Rosalie, practically bursting with anticipation.

"Can you wait like five minutes until Alice gets here? I don't want to have to repeat the story," I said as I wandered into the kitchen and pulled out a beer. It was Saturday night and Alice, Rosalie and I were having a well deserved night in. Rosalie was a little upset she had to call off dinner plans with Emmett, but when I gave her a quick rundown of the night before with Edward, she immediately called and cancelled. There was a few knocks on the door a moment later.

"Good, she's here, now tell me," snapped Rose. I probably shouldn't have given her any details on the night before, but I knew that if I didn't say something, she wouldn't cancel on Emmett. Unfortunately for her, it was the pizza delivery guy. "You did get me a veggie right?" I just nodded my head and paid the driver.

Alice showed up a few minutes after our pizza and came bearing another garment bag full of clothes.

"I don't think Edward would appreciate you dressing Bella again," laughed Rosalie as she looked over the bag that Alice brought. "He didn't seem overly pleased with the dress you lent her last night. He kept pulling the hem down because he thought it was too short. Oh, plus Edward finally asked Bella out."

"Thanks Rose," I said angrily, knowing she had ruined my story already. Alice actually jumped up and down with excitement.

"What did you say?" she asked eagerly.

"Of course I said yes, I would be stupid not to. I mean, I know he likes me and I like him, but I think that now that I got all that stuff with Seth behind me, I should at least try to give it a chance with Edward right?" I said as a shrugged my shoulders. I had felt a little uncertain about accepting the date at first, but I think it was because we have done our relationship a little backwards. We had sex, became friends and now we're going to go on a date.

"When are you going out?" asked Alice as she searched through the garment bag for a specific outfit.

"I'm not sure Alice. He said he would call later this week. He's got a few meetings this week, so we're playing it by ear."

"He sure has had a lot of meetings lately," said Alice casually, which I noticed was true. We never discussed them and I had just always assumed they were business related. Maybe we would talk about it on our date in a few days.

"Before you plan my outfit for my not yet scheduled date Alice, can we just enjoy the evening? Rosalie rented or pirated 'Bride Wars' and we have this lovely pizza, so let's just relax." She finally relented and sat down on the couch, taking a piece of Rosalie's vegetarian deluxe pizza, and then asked for a replay of the night before with both Seth and Edward. "The Seth stuff is actually less interesting than the Edward stuff," I admitted easily.

"So, I didn't ask which was more interesting, I asked for a recap," said Alice as she sipped her beer and waited for me to tell my story.

"Well, Seth asked me to go out for coffee or dinner with him, and I turned him down. You guys obviously saw him grab my arm," and I lifted it slowly to show them where the bruise Seth had left was.

"Has Edward seen that? I bet he wants to beat the crap out of him," asked Rosalie curiously as I put my arm back down and ate a bite of my pizza.

"Yes, he saw it Rose, and I'm sure he would like to strangle Seth, but it's all good. It actually looks a bit better than last night; at least that is what Edward said this morning."

"You slept at Edwards?" asked Alice incredulously and Rose just laughed.

"Yeah, she sleeps there at least once a week," said Rosalie happily. "It's been going on for the past month."

"Why am I always the last to know?" pouted Alice in frustration.

"There was nothing to know Alice. We would hang out and then I would fall asleep there. It's not nearly as scandalous as you are making it sound." I sighed, getting a little tired with the inquisition from them. I felt like I should be sitting in a rickety metal chair with a big light shining over me. "Anywhoo, can I get back to the story?" Alice and Rosalie nodded their heads and I continued.

"He grabbed my arm when I told him he could go fuck himself. He kept trying to apologize for picking the other girl over me, and told me she was back in rehab. When I looked at him though, I could tell he was still using. He might not be doing lines from my counter anymore, but he was doing something, and I realized that I didn't care anymore and he wasn't mine to worry about. It was kinda liberating actually," I said with a smile and a laugh.

"So, when did Edward ask you out?" asked Alice with excitement in her eyes.

"When we got back to his place last night, we got changed and listened to some music on the floor of his living room and I told him all about Seth. He was very sweet about the whole thing and when I finished and told him that I felt ready to move on, he asked me out and I said yes."

"Okay, that is so cute. You do realize he's been waiting for you since like October right? It was October that you guys had that one night stand?" asked Alice, as I stared at her and my face fell a bit.

"You knew about that?"

"Yeah, we're twins remember. If he doesn't tell me things, I can generally get a good idea about what is going on from his behavior. I know you guys slept together that night after the bar. He called me the next morning begging for your phone number cause you left it on my cell phone," she said happily. I had no idea that he had liked me since then.

"Why didn't you give it to him?" I asked tentatively.

"If I was in your shoes and I actually wanted the guy to call me, I would have given him my phone number, not just slunk out of the apartment and left a note behind," retorted Alice with a sly smirk.

"Well, you certainly know more than I thought you did. How is it that you like me Alice?" I asked as I finished my dinner and put my plate in the dishwasher. She just threw her head back and laughed at my question.

"Bella, you are an awesome friend and a talented photographer, what isn't there to like?"

Rosalie turned on the movie and we all sat back, chatting animatedly about the men in our life, our jobs, and our apartments, basically anything a girl would talk about. It felt a lot different to me than chatting with Edward. With Edward, my conversations didn't seem forced and they were a lot funnier. It was weird that I felt so comfortable around him. I felt great around my friends too, but discussing the best place in town to get a pedicure wasn't exactly interesting conversation to me. Once the movie was over, Alice and Rosalie both excused themselves to go call their men. I cleaned up a bit and headed into my room, deciding to call Edward.

"Hello," he answered tentatively. I realized I had used the house phone and not my cell and that he probably wouldn't recognize the number.

"It's Bella,"

"Hey, what's going on? How is the girls' night in going?" he asked happily.

"It's going. Alice and Rosalie tend to chat about crap I don't really care about, so when we took a break I thought I might as well call you." I was actually a bit nervous to be calling him. That was definitely a first.

"Well, I'm glad you called. I needed the break. I've been looking at the same chapter for the past hour with no inspiration," he admitted, with what I could only assume was a sly smirk. I wished I had a video phone so I could see if I was right.

"Are you smirking?" I asked curiously.

"Maybe," he added mysteriously. "What would you say if I was?"

"I would just laugh, so why don't you tell me about the chapter and see if I can help with some inspiration," I asked helpfully. At this point, I think I was doing anything I could to keep him on the phone with me.

"Thanks for the offer, but… I'm not really ready for anyone to read it yet, especially you. You'd probably pick me apart like Stephen King does with virtually every other author in Entertainment Weekly." I snorted and laughed at his response, because it was only a few weeks ago that I was reading his magazine and commenting about how Stephen King hates everyone, but loves the show Lost. "So, what are you wearing?"

"What was that?" I asked, not sure if I had heard him correctly

"What are you wearing? I'm allowed to ask that now right? Since we are going on our first official date soon," he asked impatiently. I could hear the click of his keyboard on the other end of the phone so he must have found some sort of inspiration.

"You'll be disappointed for asking, but I'm wearing some sweatpants and the black t-shirt I stole from you the first night we met." I could hear him say 'mmm' on the other end of the line and I actually started blushing. "Do I get to ask what you are wearing?"

"What would you say if I said I was wearing nothing?" said Edward curiously.

"I would say you were lying because you have a leather desk chair and it would probably hurt your cute ass to get off the chair after sitting there for hours working on your book." I was confident in this answer.

"Okay, you're right. I'm in some boxers and a t-shirt. I liked the nothing answer more. I was kinda hoping you'd want to come over," he added huskily.

"Ok, well this was fun. Call me when you know when you want to go out," I joked with him.

"I'll just call you right back Bella, so you might as well stay on the line." He sounded so persistent when he said that, I couldn't help but listen to him. "So, where are Rosalie and Alice?"

"Oh, they're here with me. We're having a lingerie pillow fight right now. Afterwards we're going to have a big ol' lesbian threesome. Isn't that what happens at these slumber party things?" I laughed heartily and there was no response from Edward."Umm… Hello…?"

"Don't say that shit to me Bella. You have no idea how hard it is to be away from you when you say sexy stuff like that," said Edward. There was no laughter in his voice, it was very solemn.

"Sorry. Alice is on the phone with Jasper and Rosalie called Emmett. We're taking a little break." Honesty was apparently the best policy at this point in the conversation.

"So, they all called their boyfriends and you called me. Interesting?"

"Don't get too excited Edward, who else was I gonna call?" I snipped at him, feeling a bit stupid now for calling him.

"I'm glad you called Bella. I can't wait to see you again," Edward said smoothly as my stomach started doing flip flops in excitement.

"Well, I should go back to the girls. I just got a great idea and want to discuss it with Alice. Call me when you've made a decision about our date," I said playfully as I hung up the phone and headed back into the living room. Alice and Rosalie were both staring at me as I walked out to join them. "What?"

"Oh nothing. You've just been chatting to Edward for like twenty minutes and we were done our calls a while ago," said Rosalie with a smirk of satisfaction across her face.

"Anywhoo, I had an idea Alice. Since you create dresses a little more on the risqué side, I think you should do a lingerie line," I said excitedly. Alice's face lit up with enthusiasm, so I knew she was on board.

**Edward POV**

I was shocked when Bella called up yesterday just to chat. We had decided to forgo our usual Sunday morning ritual to try and catch up on some work since Friday night and all day Saturday wewere both busy as hell. I was still patiently waiting a call from my publisher about when our meeting would be during the week, so I couldn't give her a solid date for going out together. I was still on cloud nine though since she had actually said yes. When Bella finally mentioned to me that she was ready to move on, I knew I had to act quickly before someone else asked her out. It would be just my dumb luck that I didn't ask her and the next day she had a date with someone else. I was not letting this opportunity slip through my hands.

I had been working on my novel since late on Saturday afternoon, and when Bella called, I was having trouble with my next chapter. It probably had something to do with the fact that I kept thinking hard about where to take her for our date. I hadn't gone on a date with someone in so long, that wasn't a blind date, and I was so baffled. Since it was the end of January, it was too cold to do anything exciting outside, but I had lots of ideas for things we could do together in the spring and summer, if we were still together, which I assumed we would be. After checking out dozens of websites, I finally decided to take her ice skating at Millennium Park and then out to dinner. It was casual yet fun, and something we hadn't done together yet. Now if only my publisher would call me back, we'd be good to go. When she finally called on Wednesday afternoon, trying to schedule an appointment for Friday morning, I booked it immediately and called Bella.

"Hey sexy," I said when she finally picked up her cell phone. I could tell she was still at the office, thanks to all the noise in the background.

"Who's this?" she asked as she started laughing. "John Cusack, I told you to only call me at home."

"Very funny Bella. What are you doing?" I asked curiously. There was silence for a moment and then I heard a door shut. She must have been closing her office door for more privacy.

"I've just been trying to plan some location shoots for the spring. Alice has such grand ideas, it's hard to pick just a few that she would approve of," she said casually.

"So, are you free Friday night? I have a meeting that morning, but I was hoping we could get together around five," I asked, my voice probably bursting with excitement at the thought of going on a real date with her. I tried to play it cool, but it was hard to do considering I had been wanting this for over four months.

"Yeah, I think I can schedule you in. I mean, I'm supposed to meet John late for drinks, but that's okay. I'm sure we'll be done early right?" I was about to laugh at her, but I really didn't want to encourage this thing she had for John Cusack.

"You do realize that if we ever run into him here in town, I will totally reveal your crush to him right?"

"And what if he reciprocates Edward? What if he sweeps me off my feet and woos me with movie premieres and double dates with Jeremy Piven. What would you do then?" she asked with a loud laugh.

"He wouldn't even get the chance before I beat the crap out of him, obviously, but I'm not worried."

"So what are we doing on Friday?" she asked, finally changing the subject.

"I'm not going to tell you Bella, but dress warmly. Don't let Alice put you into any shirts and claim they are dresses, alright?" If Alice got her way, Bella would probably be wearing some sparkly short dress that was definitely not appropriate for ice skating. "I suggest jeans and a sweater or something. Dress like we would if we were hanging out."

"So, one of your t-shirts and boxer shorts?" Even the thought of her wearing my clothes excited me again. I shook my head quickly, trying to erase the image in my mind for a moment.

"Not if we were hanging out here Bella, if we were hanging out like at the record store or something. Dress like it's a Sunday morning in January." She finally agreed and I told her I would be at her place right at five on Friday, so she better be ready.

"I'm ready for anything," she said confidently before we finally hung up. It was only about ten minutes later when Alice called me, practically peeing herself with excitement.

"Edward, it's about time you got off your ass and set a date with her," she said happily. "Now, why can't I dress her?"

"Alice, if I tell you where we are going, will you promise not to tell Bella?" I asked. She promised and I started to outline the plan to her. "We're going ice skating at Millennium Park and then out to a casual dinner. I really don't think that anything you make is suitable for Bella to wear."

"Yeah, you're probably right. The date sounds cool though. I'm sure she will love it." Alice continued on for a little while, trying to give me some details on how to score a second date with Bella.

"Alice, I've done pretty good this far, I think I can handle this myself," I said, trying to sound confident, but not really sure what to do after this first date. I had to promise Alice that I would call her on Saturday to fill her in on our date in order to get her off the phone.

Before I knew it, it was Friday and I was standing outside Bella's apartment waiting for her to answer the door. I had dressed in a comfy pair of jeans, with a dark blue sweater and my favorite grey coat. I shoved my beanie and gloves in my pockets, in case it ended up being extra cold tonight. When Bella finally opened the door, she looked perfect as always. She had her hair styled in long curls and was wearing a pair of jeans and a big thick light purple sweater. I didn't bring flowers or candy, figuring that if I did, she would probably laugh at me for the first hour of the date.

"Ready to go?" I asked as I reached my hand out tentatively to her. She grabbed her coat and slipped it on quickly before she grabbed my hand tenderly and we walked down the hallway.

"Where are we going?" asked Bella curiously.

"It's a surprise," I said as I squeezed her hand gently, eager for the date to start.


	14. I Will Follow You Into The Dark

**A/N: It's funny because my chapters seem to be getting longer and longer. Not that any of you are complaining. Thanks to lovebugkiss for her awesome reviews and for claiming I am her favorite fanfic author. Sweet words like that will get you anywhere you want, lovebugkiss. LOL. If I knew your name, I'd work it into my story, but I promise I wouldn't be as a slut who tried to split up Bella and Edward. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys the FIRST DATE. It's fluffier than the easter bunny. More music references, as per usual. I'm addicted.**

**As a side note, I'm usually not one for working direct quotes from the Twilight books or movie into my stories, but I had to fit my favorite quote from the movie as the last line. It worked too perfectly.**

***Stephenie Meyer owns the characters, I own the words. Yeah me.***

**Bella POV**

It was starting to get dark out already as we drove down Michigan Avenue, going somewhere. Edward still wouldn't really give me any details on the date, but kept insisting that we would have a good time. During the car ride, he seemed just as nervous as I did to change this aspect of our relationship.

"Are you nervous?" I asked tentatively as he kept his eyes on the road.

"A little," he admitted as I noticed his knuckles whiten from the strong grip he had on the steering wheel.

"Why don't we just treat this like any other time we have hung out? No pressure, okay?" I asked, trying to ease the tension slightly as he suddenly pulled the car into a parking lot at Millennium Park. "Oh goody, we're going to go pelt birds with bread?"

"Not quiet," said Edward as he unlocked the trunk and pulled out two pairs of ice skates, holding them up for me to see.

"Ice skating, cool. I haven't done it since like the eighth grade, so this should be interesting," I said as I grabbed his hand and we walked towards the big rink, which was flanked by huge buildings on one side. It was actually really pretty and I was surprised to remember that in all my time in Chicago, and all the times I had been to Millennium Park, I had never once been ice skating here. "You know we can rent our own skates here right?"

"Yeah, I know. I just already had my own pair and Alice was more than willing to help me get you some, so too bad," he smiled as we walked towards a bench beside the rink and pulled our shoes off and started lacing up our skates. Once they were all done up, I stared nervously at my feet. "You can't be that bad at skating Bella."

"Edward, do you know how long ago eighth grade was for me? We're talking almost ten years. Let me just say now before we step onto the ice, you cannot laugh at me. This date will be over before it even starts if you laugh at my craptastic skating abilities." He smiled and nodded his head in agreement before he extended his hand out to me and helped me up from the bench. Walking from the bench to the rink was the easy part; there was snow all over the ground, so I had some sort of traction. It was the ice that was the scary part. Luckily for us, the rink wasn't really busy. There was maybe five other people there, so I wouldn't feel as embarrassed when I fell on my ass.

"Hold my hand and take it easy, Bella," said Edward as he stepped onto the ice and tried to get me to follow. I held onto the railing that encircled the rink and tried to be as careful as possible as Edward held my hand tightly and I stepped tentatively onto the ice. "Okay, so slide your feet along the ice. Don't lift them up, just slide, like you are cross country skiing," he said, offering up some additional instruction.

"I know how to ice skate Edward, I'm just not very good. It's probably my complete lack of coordination or balance that makes it a bit rough to master skating," I said with a slight indignant huff. Edward just smiled at me and ignored my little rant.

"You're not Dorothy Hamill. I don't expect to see you doing some fancy figure skating, but you can at least let go of the bars," he said supportively.

"Is Dorothy Hamill related to Mark Hamill? That would be cool to have Luke Skywalker in your family," I said, trying to break the tension while staring at my feet. They were moving slowly, but I kept watching Edward as he pushed forward using one foot, so I tried to do it and it actually worked.

"There you go," he said happily as he watched me gain a bit of confidence. "And no Bella, I doubt they are related. But it would be cool to have someone from Star Wars in your family. I would want Chewy in my family. That would just be sweet."

"If I could have someone in my family from Star Wars, it would be Obi-Wan, but not the old guy, the one played in the more recent movies by Ewan McGregor. He was hot," I said as I finally released the bar surrounding the rink and tried to balance myself with Edwards' help.

Before I realized it, we were skating around the rink happily, hand in hand and discussing more meaningless random crap. We kept getting glances from some of the other couples that had ended up coming to join us on the ice. I wasn't going to admit it to Edward, but it had actually been a lot of fun. As the night moved on, it started to get a lot darker and a lot colder. Edward glanced down at his watch and told me it was almost seven. "Time to get going, we have somewhere to be," he announced proudly as he led me from the ice and helped me undo the laces on my skates.

"Did you have fun?" he asked as we got back into the car and I shoved my hands in front of the air vents to warm them up.

"Yeah, I think I may need to amputate my feet because they are so damned sore, but otherwise, it was good," I said happily. He turned on 'Taper Jean Girl' by the Kings of Leon and I sang along contentedly and tried to think of where we would be going. I was a little surprised to see we had pulled back into his building. "Did you forget something?"

"No. We're having dinner here," he said confidently as we both noticed Alice's Porsche parked in front of his building.

"We're having dinner with Alice?" I asked curiously.

"No. She was just here doing me a favor. She'll probably be gone by the time we get upstairs."

"Then why did we have to come back by 7:30. I figured we had reservations somewhere and that was why we had to finish skating." I had no idea what he had planned, but he had conned Alice into helping him when I knew she was busy with Jasper tonight. Suddenly it hit me; she probably wasn't busy with Jasper, which was just her excuse to help out her brother. When we walked into the apartment, Edward was right, Alice was gone.

In her wake though, was an apartment completely covered in lit candles. The living room furniture had all been moved against the walls, and in the middle of the floor was a picnic, including a red and white checkered blanket on the ground.

"This is... amazing," I said as Edward helped me take my coat off.

"Thanks. I planned it all, but Alice helped me pull it off," he said happily as we wandered towards the living room and sat down on the floor. "I figured something quiet and laid back was more your style. Plus, I couldn't exactly take you to a fancy restaurant in jeans and a sweater." I smiled happily back at him as he opened up the picnic basket that was between us.

"So, what do you got in there?" I asked curiously as he pulled out some take out containers from the wicker basket

"I ordered us some take out from Il Trattoria and Alice went and picked it up for us, I hope you don't mind," Edward said politely as he handed me a container filled with Chicken Parmesan and Alfredo noodles.

"No, this is perfect. No wonder you had trouble writing recently, you probably spent all your time planning the perfect date right?" I asked as I laughed. Edward just blushed and I knew that my assumption was true.

"Does it matter if it was true? You're having fun right?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, it's been wonderful. I'm not complaining." I reached down and scooped up some noodles with my fork, enjoying the fact that the meal was still warm. "So, what else is on the agenda?"

"Strip Jenga," he said confidently.

"Nice try. Now what do you actually have planned?"

"In all honesty Bella, I had nothing else planned after this. I just figured we could relax, talk, listen to music, I could start a fire. Whatever you want to do is fine with me." I sat there watching him enjoy his dinner and I desperately wanted to kiss him for putting all this effort into the date. I stood up and went to the stereo and put on the 'Cowboy Junkies'. I was actually surprised he owned his one. The first words from 'Sweet Jane' came on and we just ate in silence for a little while.

"How about we just ask each other random questions about whatever springs to mind? They can be personal, general, sexual… whatever floats your boat, but you have to answer the question honestly" I said, after we had finished eating and were now just lying on the floor casually.

"Ok, that sounds good," said Edward as he stood up and started a fire. He clearly must have noticed me shivering slightly. He threw me the big brown blanket that usually sat on his couch and came back to sit beside me. "So who asks first?" he said as his eyes grew excited.

**Edward POV**

Bella didn't realize it but she was definitely opening up the flood gates when she told me we could ask each other any question we wanted. I had so many questions for her; would you like to stay here tonight? What about indefinitely? Will you marry me and have all my little babies? Okay, so I couldn't start out with those, so I kept it light at first when she told me I could start.

"Who is your favorite cartoon character?"

"Umm…" she said as she cuddled into the blanket and thought for a moment. "Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. He's like clinically depressed all the time; it's just odd to find a character like that in a cartoon."

"Mine is Smurfette. Think of all the smurf ass she got being the sexiest one in the group," I laughed as she rolled her eyes at me. "You're turn."

"Okay, what is your favorite dessert?" she asked as she rolled over onto her stomach and leaned up on her elbows, the blanket still covering her. I thought hard about the question as the CD changed and 'the Perishers' came on.

"I like a good warm brownie, with a scoop of ice cream and a big helping of whipped cream on it. I'm not a huge chocolate fan, but I can never turn down a brownie." I smiled happily. "What about you?"

"I like cheesecake. Any kind, store bought or homemade, I don't care. Bring it on."

"What is your favorite joke?"

"Okay, it's really lame but every time I hear it, I laugh my ass off. 'What is invisible and smells like carrots?" I shrugged my shoulders because I had actually never heard this joke. "Bunny farts," and just like she said she would, she started giggling the cutest little laugh and it took all my energy not to kiss her. I was on my best behavior tonight.

"What did one snowman say to the other?" I asked her curiously as her giggles died down. "Smells like carrots." We both laughed at that one, and then laughed more because our jokes were really lame and suitable for six year olds.

"My turn," Bella said enthusiastically. "What is your favorite color?"

"Chocolate Brown," I said matter of factly.

"Why is that? I thought you didn't like chocolate."

"I'm not a big fan of chocolate, but your eyes are a warm chocolate brown color, and it's one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen." I was being completely honest, just like she asked when we started the game and Bella blushed and bent her head down. I put my finger under her chin and pushed her face back up so that I could see her. "I'm serious."

"Well, I guess I can't use my answer of dark emerald green, like the color of your eyes. So I'll say violet." She blushed again and then it was my turn for a question.

"Why don't you talk about your family?" Bella looked at me a little surprised by my question. We had never really talked about them, and she had already met my dysfunctional clan.

"There's nothing exciting to tell. My parents divorced when I was like two. My mom was always busy trying to find herself, and I eventually grew tired of being the adult in the house, so I moved in with my dad. My parents still live in the same town, but I grew apart from my mom. I talk to my dad almost every week, usually on Sunday nights." She seemed a bit relieved to tell me a bit about her past.

"Thanks," I said sweetly.

"What is your favorite smell?" Bella asked curiously. I had to think about this for a moment. I couldn't remember exactly what her scent consisted of.

"Can I say blend of Bella, because I have no idea what all the scents you surround yourself in are?" I asked as I winked at her.

"I'm your favorite smell?" she asked with a big grin.

"Fuck yeah. Why do you think I like it when you sleep over? Your scent lingers for days. If I could bottle that shit up, I would be a very happy man." I peered back at her for her reaction, and she was smiling the biggest smile I had ever seen and was blushing again.

"My favorite smell is your cologne, Acqua di Gio right?" she asked, even though she already knew. I just nodded my head in agreement and thought up another question.

"Who is your favorite Baldwin brother?"

"Can I say none of them?" asked Bella happily. "No, wait. I liked the one that was on the Celebrity Apprentice last year. Stephen I think. He was funny as hell."

"You clearly don't watch 30 Rock otherwise you would have said Alec." I remarked casually. "Do you want a refill?" I asked as I noticed her wine glass was empty.

"Do you have any Gin this week?" Bella said as she rolled onto her side and propped her head up with her hand.

"I picked some up just the other day. Gin and Tonic for the lady, coming right up." I headed into the kitchen and fixed us each a drink. As I headed back to the living room, I almost dropped both glasses when I saw Bella pulling her sweater over her head to reveal a very tight white tank top underneath. I stopped for a second and composed myself before walking back to her. "Here you go," I said as I offered her the drink.

"Whose turn is it now?" she asked after she took a sip of her drink and gave me a thumbs up for my bartending skills.

"I think it's yours since I asked the Baldwin brother question."

"Okay then, why don't you talk about any ex-girlfriends?" She was starting to really get a little bolder in her questions, and even though I hated this topic, I was glad she asked it.

"My ex girlfriends are kind of like your parents. There isn't much to tell. They exist. I'm not friends with any of them and there hasn't been anything even remotely close to a serious relationship in my life in like two years, until you came along." I watched her blush again and then went into my next question.

"What is your favorite love song?" I knew she loved music as much as I did, so I thought it would take her a while to answer. She surprised me though because Bella answered immediately.

"That's easy. Bonnie Raitt's 'I can't make you love me'."

"Excellent choice. I love that song. I have the CD here somewhere," I said casually. "Do you want to hear it?" Bella just nodded her head and I searched through my shelves until I found it and put it on. When I sat back down on the floor beside her, she moved her body over and rested her head on my leg. The moment the song started, I reached my hand up and started to gently run my fingers through her long, slightly curly hair.

"What's your song?"

"It changes depending on my mood, but right now I would say it is 'I would follow you into the dark' by Death Cab for Cutie.

"I've never heard that one," she admitted freely.

"I'm shocked Bella. I thought you had better taste in music than to not know Death Cab for Cutie," I said sarcastically to her. "I don't think I know you at all."

"Very funny. You know me better than almost anyone else, even Rosalie. I know Death Cab, I just don't know that particular song Edward," said Bella indignantly.

"I'll put it on after this song is over okay?" I said politely and she just nodded her head against my leg. We listened quietly for a few more minutes and when it was done, I reluctantly stood up and changed the CD. When I turned around from the stereo, Bella had grabbed a few pillows from the couch and was now using them to prop up her head. She had moved away from the fireplace slightly and there was quiet a big space behind her.

"I think you should come lay down with me," she said quietly. I walked around the apartment quickly and blew out a bunch of the candles that were still lit, but brought a couple of them to the coffee table near Bella and me so that it wasn't completely dark in the apartment. I finally sat down behind her and felt slightly remorseful.

"Are you sure?" I asked before I lay down with her. She just nodded her head, so I grabbed the remote for the stereo and turned on the song. I slid my body directly behind her and instinctively wrapped my arms around her, pulling her back towards me and holding her as close as possible. She threw the blanket over both of us gently, even though it hardly covered me, but I didn't care. I laid my head into the crook of her neck as she sighed softly.

"You're right, this song is great," said Bella as she wrapped her fingers into mine as they held her close. I kissed her neck sweetly and breathed in her scent. She was absolutely intoxicating and she didn't even know it.

"You have no idea how long I've waited for you."

**A/N: What is your favorite love song?**


	15. Just a Ride

**A/N: Another long chapter. I guess the more I write the romance of Bella and Edward, the wordier I get. I doubt any of my wonderful reviews are complaining though. Special thanks to youandyourwordsmakemeloveyou (which I honestly think is the longest username I have ever seen btw) for her awesome comments. Its words like yours that keep me writing these fics, even though they keep me up late at night. Oh and YankeeDiva, we have not yet seen the best of Jenga. **

***Disclaimer stuff about me not owning anything but the words, blah blah blah, cue the teacher's voice from the Peanuts cartoons***

**Bella POV**

Edward, Emmett, Rosalie and I all sat impatiently in the living room the very next morning. Alice had called us all very early in the morning and insisted, actually demanded is probably a more accurate term, that we all meet at mine and Rosalie's apartment at 10 this morning, so here we sit. It had been slightly awkward between Edward and me when we finally woke up, both of us aching a little bit from sleeping on the floor in front of his fireplace. I am not complaining though, not by a long shot. The entire date had been awesome, but if Alice hadn't called this morning, I'm sure he'd be making me breakfast or something equally sweet right now. That was what I preferred to be doing, instead of sitting here in yesterday's clothes. Everyone else looked great, because they were all dressed in clean clothes, and even though I had showered at Edwards' this morning before we had to leave, I felt I looked like crap. Emmett just stared at me with this all-knowing grin. He has clearly been assuming that Edward and I had sex last night, which wasn't true.

"Oh stop it already Emmett," muttered Edward as he tried to rub a kink out of his neck. I really wanted to massage his shoulder and neck for him, but I'm sure it would just add more fuel to Emmett's fire. Note to self: no more sleeping on the floor of Edward's living room.

"So is there going to be a date number two?" asked Rosalie curiously as she scanned through the latest issue of Cosmo. I looked to Edward for a response because we hadn't really had a chance to discuss it yet, but I really hoped so.

"I think so," said Edward as he winked at me and took my hand in his. "I'm sure Bella will fill you in on all the details once we actually manage a private conversation."

"So, remind me again, why can't I go change?" I asked Rosalie in frustration.

"Bella, Alice will be here any second to give us whatever damned news was so important for her, and I'll be damned if we have to wait while you decide which one of your t-shirts is the tightest and more appealing to Edward," said Rosalie angrily. She was clearly just as frustrated about this interruption in her day as I was.

"Ok, ladies let's calm down. I'm sure Alice has a great reason for dragging my ass out of bed this morning," said Emmett, who was also upset about this meeting. I looked over at Edward and he was glaring at the door awaiting Alice's arrival. All four of us were pissed. I hoped Alice's news is as big as she says; otherwise I'm afraid of the repercussions. I was about to say something else when Alice and Jasper finally showed up.

"It's about damn time," yelled Rosalie as they walked in the apartment. Apparently all of our bad moods were still not enough to ruin the high that Alice was on.

"Who's up for a road trip?" asked Alice as Emmett immediately raised his hand. He was always up for anything. "Who _else_ is up for a road trip?" she joked sarcastically.

"This isn't going to be like the time you dragged us to Milwaukee because you saw on Oprah about some restaurant that made the best grilled cheese in the US, is it?" asked Edward irritably.

"No, this isn't like that. And they weren't that good anyways," laughed Alice. "Bella, remember how we were talking about having some sort of Chinese garden backdrop for the fall layouts, since the line is Chinese inspired? Well, I found the perfect place," said Alice enthusiastically.

"We're going to China?" I asked tentatively.

"Even better… we're going to Sin City," she answered blissfully.

"We're going to New Orleans?" asked Emmett as we all glared at him as though he was the stupidest person on the planet.

"That's the Big Easy, Emmett, she's talking about Las Vegas," laughed Jasper.

"Awesome," said Emmett again.

"Every year for Chinese New Year, they decorate their botanical gardens with this huge Buddha, hanging lanterns, basically a ton of stuff related to the holiday. It's beyond awesome. So after a bit of convincing, they are going to let us use it for two days, but since they are dismantling it on Tuesday and replacing it with something else, we have to leave as soon as possible."

"Alice, that actually sounds perfect," I said happily as I started to imagine all the shots I could get.

"So, I want everyone to come. Rose, I want you to be one of the main models," added Alice as Rosalie practically started crying with excitement. "You boys all need to come too,"

"Alice, we all have lives. We can't just up and leave today," said Jasper in frustration.

"Whatever," she spat at him. "Every single person in this room is self employed, so I don't want to hear any of that shit. You all have six hours until the Cullen jet leaves Midway, with you on it or not. I've got three suites reserved at the Bellagio and you all better be there."

"Well, I'm in obviously," I said as I grabbed a notepad from the counter and started writing down all the things I would need for the shoot.

"Don't worry Bella, you and Edward are sharing a suite, but it has two bedrooms," started Alice casually. "Hey, wait a minute, why are you in yesterday's clothes?" she asked as he eyes flashed between Edward and I.

"Because she slept on Edward's living room floor last night," laughed Emmett as Rosalie punched him in the shoulder.

"Are you guys having sex?" asked Alice incredulously.

"Not anymore," sighed Emmett.

"Seriously Emmett, shut the hell up. What Bella and I are, or are not doing, is not the business of anyone in this room. If you have questions, keep them to yourselves unless Bella or I want to discuss it with you, got it?" yelled Edward, clearly frustrated that our date last night was now a joke for Emmett. Edward stood to leave and I moved towards him to walk him out. "Fine Alice, I will go. I'll be back here in a few hours and we can all drive to the airport together."

"Are you okay?" I asked when I finally got him alone in the hallway.

"Yeah, I just don't want what we have to become some running joke for Emmett. If he keeps this stuff up during the trip, I may very well be tempted to throw his ass out of the plane," he said as he walked up to me and nudged me up against the wall. "I'm sorry this morning got screwed up." He leaned down and kissed me tenderly on the lips, and then he ran his mouth down my jaw to my neck and kissed me again.

"It's alright," I said, practically panting from the touch of his lips on my skin. "So, you'll be back soon?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna head back, straighten up the apartment and pack a bag. Are you gonna be okay?"

"Of course. I have to get online and find a few good places in Vegas for lighting rentals. There is no way I am dragging all my gear down to Vegas. I'm sure Alice also has to find some local models and a stylist or two, so I will help her with that while I finally get changed and pack my suitcase,' I admitted easily, although in my brain I was trying to decide which lingerie to bring so I could try to seduce my suite mate at the hotel.

"Okay, we'll I'll see you in a few hours. If you need anything, let me know." Then Edward leaned down and gave me a sweet kiss on my forehead before he walked away and got onto the elevator. It took all my energy to try to not stare at his ass, but I couldn't do it. I was watching the whole time he walked away from me.

"I saw that," he said as he stuck his head out of the elevator before the doors shut. I walked back into the apartment, and this time all the eyes were on me.

"Come on Alice, we have to arrange a couple of stylists and additional models for the shoot. I also need to arrange some lighting to be delivered," I said as I wandered towards my room, wanting to get the work stuff done first before I started packing. Alice followed me into the room, with Rosalie directly behind her.

"So, how was the date?" asked Rosalie, as she shut the door so that Emmett and Jasper didn't hear anything.

"It was great. We spent a lot of time getting to know each other more, and before you ask Rosalie, no I don't mean in the biblical sense. We just talked." I sat down at my desk and opened up my laptop, searching some of my directories for a place to rent sufficient lighting from in Vegas.

"Seriously? Talking, that was it?" said Alice with a complete look of shock on her face.

"Honestly, we went ice skating down at Millennium Park and then back to his place for the picnic dinner he had set up, but you knew that already Alice," I remarked casually to her. She just nodded her head and they both wanted me to continue. "After dinner, we had a few drinks, sat on his floor and listened to music and basically played twenty questions with each other. When I started getting tired, we fell asleep in each other's arms on his living room floor in front of the fireplace." I glanced over at Rosalie and she was giving me what looked like a compassionate expression. "What?"

"That sounds like the most romantic date ever. Emmett never does crap like that for me," she sighed.

"Yeah well Emmett is a bit of a moron isn't he," added Alice as we all laughed.

"But he's my moron," said Rosalie happily. "So if that's all the news from your date, then I'm gonna go pack."

"Well, he did say something that I think was the sweetest thing in the world," I added blissfully. "Right before I fell asleep he told me 'You don't know how long I've waited for you', if I hadn't been so tired I would have jumped him right then," I laughed.

"Why did I have to get the emotionally crippled Cullen brother?" laughed Rosalie. "Keep him Bella, he sounds perfect for you." I nodded my head at Rosalie and watched as she left the room to go pack what I'm sure would be too many bags for a 3 night trip.

Alice and I immediately set to work arranging the final details for the shoot and two hours later I was finally given a break. She left with Jasper to go and get all of her stuff together and pick up the clothes from the office. I had another shower and got changed into some comfortable travelling clothes and was about to start packing my luggage when Edward showed up.

"Hey, sorry I'm back so fast. Did you get everything done?" he asked as I led him into my room, where he sat on my bed while I packed my bag.

"Well, except for the packing part," I said as I held up my empty duffle bag for him to see." I'm not really sure what to wear in Vegas in January," I admitted humbly. Edward hopped off the bed and grabbed my laptop to check to see what the forecast was like.

"Good news, it's not snowing there," he joked sarcastically. "It's supposed to be in the high 50's or low 60's. So bring some pants, some warm clothes, something sexy for the restaurants and bars I plan to take you to."

"Define sexy?" I asked casually as I grabbed my bag and started unloading almost my entire lingerie drawer into it, making sure he couldn't see me.

"Nothing as revealing as that dress you wore to the gallery opening. Sexy to me is something that shows confidence and catches the attention of everyone in the room, but also makes me proud because you are with me. Does that help?" he asked as he closed the laptop down and started packing it away in my laptop case, with my extra battery.

"Not really," I joked as I started to scan through my closet for anything that matched what he mentioned. I was screwed.

"It's Las Vegas Bella, I'm sure you can buy something if you don't think you have anything appropriate." Edward was right. I'm sure there were a ton of shops I could pick something up in and if not, I would just pilfer something from Alice's fall collection. It was almost two hours later when Emmett and Rosalie declared themselves ready, and we all hopped into Emmett's Audi to head over to Midway.

"So, the Cullen family private jet?" I asked, still a little shocked by it.

"It's my grandfather's and I'm certain Alice had to pull some major strings to be able to use it," laughed Edward. "She probably has to visit him every single weekend for the next two years. Poor Girl."

**Edward POV**

The ride to the airport was pretty relaxed, even though Emmett kept blasting his crazy rap music for the entire ride. I reminded myself to take a cab home from the airport when we got back on Tuesday so I wouldn't be forced to endure this again. When we finally walked up to the plane, Alice was standing outside bursting with happiness.

"Jasper is inside already, so let's go. We might even be able to leave early," she said happily as she bounced up the stairs and into the airplane which I had never used before.

"So Alice, how did you get gramps to lend you the jet?" Emmett asked as he handed his bag to the steward and took a seat near the back of the plane with Rosalie.

"Nothing special, I just need to visit him every Thursday for the next month to play bridge with some of his buddies," she said, shuddering slightly at the deal she had made.

"You play bridge?" laughed Bella as she grabbed my hand and led me to a pair of seats in the middle.

"No, but I need to learn in the next six days," said Alice as she and Jasper got comfortable at a set of four seats with a table in the middle. Alice immediately pulled out a notepad and started sketching and writing. It was only about twenty minutes later that we were in the air, and I was relived to be on the way.

"So, what are you going to do while Alice and I are busy with the photo shoot tomorrow?" asked Bella casually a little bit into the flight.

"I was going to force Jasper and Emmett to help you. I figured you could probably use help adjusting lighting, moving stuff around and all that crap. I thought if we helped you, perhaps you could get it all finished quicker and you could have more time to spend exploring Vegas with me," I admitted happily. We were still holding hands and she gave me a little squeeze. "It's purely selfish on my part."

"That would be awesome. We're shooting extra early tomorrow morning, like six or something crazy, so if you don't want to do it then I would completely understand," she remarked sympathetically. There was actually nothing I would prefer to do than watch her work, and I told her so.

"We'll be there. I wouldn't miss it. Plus, I hear there are going to be some hot models, so maybe I can score," I joked as she punched me in the shoulder and looked frustrated with me. "I don't want anyone but you Bella," I whispered into her ear and she instantly relaxed.

"Good answer Edward," she said as we watched Emmett and Rosalie wander towards the back of the airplane. "Ugh, I am so not using that washroom. You totally know they are joining the mile high club right now." I laughed at her and nodded in agreement.

"So, what are we doing when we land?" I asked Alice after the pilot announced there was only twenty minutes left in the flight.

"It's going to be like seven o'clock in Vegas, so I think we should just have dinner and call it a night. We have to get up early in the morning."

"The boys are going to help us tomorrow Alice, isn't that nice of them," said Bella as she winked and gave me a small grin.

"We are?" said Emmett as he finally got back into his seat.

"Nice of you to join us Emmett, how was the sex in the bathroom?" asked Bella with a hint of revenge in her voice. "I feel bad for who ever has to disinfect that bathroom. If you want to spend any time with Rosalie actually enjoying Las Vegas, you will be helping," she said sternly. I just chuckled as I watched Emmett shut up. When we finally landed, a chauffeur was on the tarmac loading our bags into the back of a limo.

"A limo, really Alice?" said Jasper as he laughed at her extravagance.

"It's a business expense, so shut your pie hole Whitmore," said Alice happily as she hopped into our ride.

When we pulled in front of the hotel, we felt like celebrities or something. It was very surreal. Alice ran ahead and checked us all in, while we walked around the lobby and Bella immediately noticed their botanical gardens.

"It's perfect," she said as she wandered through them in awe of all the colors, flowers and decorations that adorned the room. She stood silent for a little while, clearly planning her photos in her mind and I just watched her, admiring her. She wasn't mine yet, but we were moving in the right direction, so I wasn't going to complain.

"Okay, here's your room keys," chirped Alice as she bounced over to me a couple of minutes later and handed me two keys for Bella and me. "You guys are in 2915 on the 29th floor. Your bags will probably be there when you get into the room." Bella wandered back to me from where she was in the gardens and was gushing to Alice about how perfect the location would be for the shoot.

"Are you guys gonna join us for dinner?" asked Alice as she gave me a cryptic look. "The concierge got us reservations for Le Cirque in an hour." I looked at Bella and I could tell she was thinking the same as me.

"Thanks, but I think we are going to grab some room service and maybe rent a movie or something. It's been a long day and we need to be up early, right?" I said as I grabbed Bella's hand and led her towards the elevators. "You didn't want to go to dinner right?" I asked curiously.

"Right. Let's go upstairs and relax. I need it," she said as the elevator opened and we headed up to our suite. When we walked in, we were both kind of shocked at the size of the room. There was a huge living room area with a gigantic couch that I knew we would probably fall asleep on. The bathroom seemed just as big with a monstrous marble whirlpool tub, as we wandered through the room Bella and I both noticed there was only one bed.

"I thought she said it was a two bedroom suite?" asked Bella curiously. I didn't care. It's not like we hadn't shared a bed many times before.

"Maybe they were all taken. I don't mind, do you?"

"No, its fine," she said as she threw me a quick smile. "Let's pick something out for dinner so that I can unpack and start to relax." Bella called down to room service and ordered us some salads and sandwiches as I checked out the mini-bar.

"Did you know they charge six bucks for a small bag of peanuts? That's insane. Maybe I will take all the money in my trust, buy a hotel and rip people off on the price of peanuts… shit the pretzels are just as expensive," I said as I quickly closed the fridge.

"What do you care? It's a business expense remember?" said Bella as she wandered out of the bedroom dressed casually in some very short shorts and a tank top. She opened the fridge and pulled out a coke and a small bottle of rum. "It'll be even sweeter cause this little rum and coke is gonna cost Alice twelve dollars."

"I am so writing Alice a check for all your crazy expenses when we get home," I said as she fixed herself a drink and I watched her carefully. A few moments later I excused myself and headed into the bedroom to get changed. I had brought my old school flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt to sleep in, so I figured that was the best to lounge around in.

"What do you want to watch?" called Bella from the living room as she flipped through channels on the TV. "On Oprah they have Gail searching for the countries best baked potato," she laughed.

"Anything but Oprah," I called back to her as I finished changing and unloaded some of my clothes into the dresser. I was shocked when I opened the first drawer because it looked like Victoria's Secret had exploded in there. There were bras, panties, lingerie and garter belts strewn everywhere. I just closed the drawer and pretended like I saw nothing, even though I knew it was a very positive sign for me.

"The Simpsons is on, what about that?" she asked when I walked back in.

"Which episode?" I said as I helped myself to the rest of the bottle of rum and can of coke on the table and made myself a drink.

"It's the one where they have to join the witness relocation program because Sideshow Bob is trying to kill Bart."

"Sounds good, I love that episode. I always laugh my ass off when they try to give Homer the details on his new life and he is always screaming or completely oblivious to them," I said as I sat down on the couch next to her and threw my arm over the back of the couch.

"I like it when Homer comes into Bart's bedroom yielding a big knife and some brownies and Bart assumes he's going to try to kill him, or when he comes back with the chainsaw and hockey mask on. That was a classic episode," sighed Bella as she leaned her head into my shoulder and rested for a few moments. I kissed her head gently and we focused all of our attention on Sideshow Bob has he stepped on dozens of rakes. "I love this show," added Bella casually.

'_And I love you,'_ I said to myself, thankful that my inner monologue was working for once.


	16. Should've Said No

**A/N: Good day my faithful followers. I hope everyone enjoyed Chapter 15, and thanks for all the awesome reviews, again! I think I got 20 for Chapter 14 alone, so that was exciting! This chapter was remarkably hard to write, which is stupid because I live in Vegas. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and for all those who have been asking, no Bella and Edward are not going to get drunk in Vegas and get married, this isn't Friends and they aren't Ross and Rachel. Enjoy anyways, and please review.**

***stephenie meyer owns the characters, and I own the words***

**Bella POV**

The next morning was a blur of colors, movement and voices. I woke up at four thirty in the morning and quickly hopped into the shower after sliding out of Edwards' arms. At least last night we managed to fall asleep on the bed instead of the living room floor. The night ended up being very laid-back with us enjoying our room service and The Simpsons marathon that was on some local channel. When I was finished getting ready, I woke Edward up and let him know I was heading downstairs to meet the guys who were scheduled to deliver the lighting. He groggily nodded his head and said he would join us down in the gardens as soon as he could.

When I finally wandered down into the gardens, Alice was already there. Flanking her sides with Rosalie and another girl I could only assume was the second model, Nicole. They were chatting happily with two other impeccably dressed people who I assumed were the stylists she had hired.

"Good morning all," I said as I joined them. Alice looked exhausted. "Did you even sleep last night Alice?" I asked with concern.

"Yes Bella, I slept for like two hours or something. Where's Edward?"

"He's getting dressed, I'm sure he will be down shortly," I said as I noticed the lighting company arrive and I excused myself to direct them where to put everything. Alice left with everyone else to go and get their hair and makeup done, while I arranged a few different shots. It was almost half an hour later when Edward finally came into the room clutching two coffees and some muffins.

"I figured you would probably be hungry since you ran out of the suite so quickly this morning," he said sweetly as he gave me a big smile. He laid everything down on a small table I had procured to hold some of my photo equipment.

"Thanks, that is great," I replied as I gave him a little hug and immediately went back to what I was working on.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked helpfully. I had him to move a few things, but otherwise his job was to relax until the girls were back and dressed. It was only another half hour later when everyone else came back, including Jasper and Emmett, and we started immediately. I was desperate to get the shots I needed so that I could spend some time with Edward, alone.

"I brought mood music, Bella," said Emmett excitedly as he plugged in his iPod with speakers and turned on some crazy rap music. It actually had a nice beat and both Rose and Nicole commented that it was fine for the shoot, so I didn't bitch and moan about it. It was only about four hours later when I showed Alice some of the shots on the camera and she was jumping up and down in excitement.

"It's perfect Bella. Seriously. With all the floral in the garden, working with the floral in the dresses and kimonos, it works so well. This went a lot better than expected," she said as I directed Jasper and Edward to move a few lights so that we could get the last few shots we would need.

It was just before noon when we finally finished, and I felt surprisingly enthusiastic. Jasper and Emmett dismantled the lights as Edward called the company to have them pick them all up. "Everyone was just awesome," I gushed happily as Rose and Nicole were about to leave to get changed into their normal clothes. Alice paid our awesome stylists and promised them that if we came back to Vegas, they would definitely get a call for more work. It was weird to be done, considering it was only twenty eight hours ago that Alice had forced us all to come with her. I was on a high, so I decided to do something I had wanted to do for a while, and I pulled Jasper to the side to talk to him.

"Thanks so much for your help today, Jaz. It's meant the world to me," I said sweetly. "I have a question for you though." Jasper just shook his head and I continued. "I have wanted to do a show with my photography for a while now and I wanted to know if you would be interested in hosting. Trust me, fashion photography is not something I do primarily, it's just how I pay the bills."

"Interesting concept Bella. I've never done a photo exhibit before, but there is always a first time for everything right? When we get back to Chicago, why don't we make plans to get together and you can show me some of your work and then we can go from there, sound good?" he replied.

"That would be awesome," I said, practically bursting with excitement. I thought the day couldn't get any better until Edward ambled up to me and whispered in my ear.

"Let's grab your stuff and head upstairs." I knew he didn't mean for sex, but I was just excited at the prospect of being alone with him again. He grabbed my cameras and I took my laptop and we said our goodbyes to everyone and hopped on the elevator. We weren't even onto our floor yet when my cell phone started ringing, it was Alice.

"We're going out tonight to celebrate. So be ready and in the lobby at eight."

"What's going on?" asked Edward as he unlocked the door to our room and guided me inside.

"It was just Alice, we have plans at eight tonight to celebrate, so it looks like I need to go buy a dress," I laughed as I imagined myself going through the effort of finding the perfect dress for tonight. Now my day with Edward would be ruined.

"Why don't you just ask Alice for one of hers? I saw you eying up the dark blue dress that Nicole had on for the last poses. Then you don't have to worry about shopping today and we can finally go and see some of the sites," he said casually as he packed my cameras back away in the larger bag I had brought to store my equipment. He wandered away into the bathroom and I immediately called Alice who promised to have the dress brought to my room before dinner that night. I thanked her profusely and she told me to shut up because she needed to finally get some sleep.

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked Edward as he came back into the living room a few minutes later.

"How about we just go walk the strip? Do a little people watching and just decide what to do as we come across things?" I nodded happily and ran into the bedroom to put on my comfortable sneakers and grab my jacket.

"I'm ready," I said as wandered out a few minutes later and grabbed his hand. "Let's go."

We walked hand in hand through the lobby and headed across the strip to visit a few of the hotels. I wanted to see the Venetian, and Edward seemed to be eager to please, so we headed there first. I was starting to get a sore neck from staring at the paintings on the ceiling when Edward slid up behind me and began rubbing my shoulders.

"Thanks," I said nonchalantly as I finally stopped staring and grabbed his hand again, this time to head back out onto the streets and walk down towards the Paris hotel. "Wanna go up in the Eiffel Tower?"

"Yeah, but I'd rather be at the real one," he laughed as we strolled down the road watching all the people around us. It was early on Sunday afternoon so the strip was filled with tourists pulling their luggage behind them as they tried to see a few more sites before heading to the airport to fly back to their lives in whateverthehellville, USA.

"That guy was wearing a fanny pack," I said casually. "Who does that? Hasn't he ever heard of pockets?" I asked sarcastically, as I kept my eyes on the people around me.

"Well, that chick looks like Stevie Nicks from the mid eighties and I'm certain that is not a good thing in 2009," laughed Edward. "Oh wait, I think that is Stevie Nicks," he joked again.

"You know you are on a bad date when she looks like Stevie Nicks and is wearing a fanny pack," I said as we passed in front of Harrah's.

"You know you are on a bad date when she spends the night talking about moss. She was an environmental engineer and I felt like I was on some really bas discovery channel show," laughed Edward.

"You know you are on a bad date when he shows up empty handed, no flowers, no candy, nothing," I smirked, knowing this would piss him off.

"You're not a candy and chocolates kind of girl Bella," he started in frustration. "Did you think it was a bad date?"

"Hell no, I was just kidding. Alice told me how you had practically fretted for two whole days about whether you should bring something, and I just thought it was endearing," I said sweetly as I gripped his hand in mind to reassure him.

"Well, don't pick on me Bella. I just wanted everything to be perfect," said Edward. I just nodded by head, making a mental note to stop picking on him for a little while.

**Edward POV**

Bella and I made our way around several of the casinos that afternoon before finally heading back to our hotel around six to get ready for dinner with our friends. We each took our showers quickly and got dressed and were down in the lobby just before eight. Emmett and Rosalie were sitting at the lobby bar waiting for all of us.

"How was the rest of your day guys?" asked Bella as we joined them at the bar.

"It was okay, Rosalie dragged me to an outlet mall, which was sheer hell, and then we came back and took a nap," laughed Emmett happily. I knew he wasn't pissed to be dragged shopping with Rosalie, if anything he probably loved it more than the nap. I flashed my eyes between them though and they both looked a bit different.

"What's going on?" I asked curiously.

"Nothing," sighed Emmett as he shot Rosalie a quick nervous glance. I ignored it and tried to drown out the conversation between Bella and Rosalie about cheap purses at the Coach Outlet store. Thankfully Alice and Jasper were with us a few moments later and we all headed out by foot to Caesars Palace where Alice had managed to get reservations at some restaurant called 'Bradley Ogden' which she insisted was well worth the price of the food.

"It's a business expense," she said to me happily when she got my annoyed glance regarding the restaurant.

The restaurant was very expensive, but the dinner itself was very casual. We were all talking about the things we had done during the day and Bella got everyone involved in our never ending game of 'you know you are on a bad date when'.

"I got one," shouted Emmett enthusiastically as a few of the nearby patrons turned around to look at him. "You know you are on a bad date when she spends the entire date staring and picking at her fingernails," laughed Emmett as Rosalie popped her head up from a conversation with Alice and was fuming.

"Emmett, you're an ass. That was almost a month ago and I had gotten the worlds' worst manicure, cut a girl some slack," she said fiercely. Even I was afraid for Emmett at this point. "You know you are on a bad date when he spends most of the time discussing his eternal love for rap music and referring to himself in the third person. Emmett really likes rap music," she mocked as we all laughed at their exchange. It was almost ten when we finished dinner and the bill had been paid.

"So what is everyone doing now?" Bella asked curiously.

"Alice and I are going dancing at Pure, do you guys want to come?" asked Jasper as I looked at Bella and shook my head. Dancing was something I didn't want to do.

"Nah, I think we might just wander around the hotel and gamble a bit," said Bella with a big smile on her face.

"Oh come on, I think its Paris Hilton's birthday or something so they are completely overcharging and I'm sure it will suck," said Alice happily. "It's worth it for the people watching, though."

"Tempting, but no," said Bella forcefully.

"Emmett and I are going to call it an early night," said Rosalie nervously as she glanced at Emmett, who just nodded his head. Something was definitely going on, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to spend some time with Bella. Okay, I did care because I didn't want Emmett to do something stupid. After dinner, I headed into the washroom while Bella sat on a bench outside the restaurant waiting for me. When I came out, I saw Emmett and Rosalie walking outside the hotel and getting a cab. I was thoroughly confused.

"What's wrong?" asked Bella as I joined her in front of the restaurant.

"Emmett and Rosalie just left. I thought they were going to sleep," I remarked casually, even though my brain was working a mile a minute. "Why would they get into a cab when our hotel is a five minute walk away?"

"It's been a crazy day," said Bella happily. "Perhaps they changed their mind and were going to go watch the fountain show in front of the hotel." I nodded in agreement. She was probably right, and I tried to ignore my instincts that something was going down and instead decided to lead Bella back to the Bellagio and onto the gaming floor and find a game for us to play.

"Do you know how to gamble at all?" I asked curiously.

"I've bet on who will win Survivor in an old college pool, does that count?" laughed Bella.

"Did you win?"

"Hell yeah, I picked that guy Brian who was a porn star on Season 5 or 6. I think they were in Thailand. Anyways, I won two hundred and eighty bucks, so I was happy," laughed Bella, clearly still proud with her win even though it was like 10 seasons ago. I laughed right along with her and we finally settled on a Blackjack table that had no other players. The minimum play was only $10, so I figured I could teach her, and we wouldn't waste too much money in the process.

It was almost two hours later and I was three hundred dollars in the hole from my lessons with Bella. She clearly was having trouble deciding when she should stay and when she should hit. I think she just enjoyed the fact that she was spending all my money.

"Okay, for the twentieth time Bella, there are no flushes in blackjack," I said in frustration.

"But I have two clubs," she chirped happily.

"The suit doesn't matter babe, the only thing that matters is the number on the cards," I sighed.

"Okay then, I have twenty," Bella said proudly.

"The dealer has a soft seventeen, so according to the rules printed on the table, they have to hit," I explained to Bella carefully. The dealer dealt himself a six and busted with a twenty three. "You won Bella."

"Holy shit," she screamed out happily. Yeah, it was worth her reaction even if she only did just win thirty dollars.

She had been spending most of her night enjoying the free drinks that were served because we were playing, and the more she drank, the less she paid attention. "This is our last hand," I told the dealer. When we were finally done, I helped Bella off of her stool and wrapped my arm around her waist to help balance her. We walked back to the elevator and as I turned my head around to scan the lobby, I saw Emmett and Rosalie walk back in, whispering happily to one another and ignoring everyone else in the room.

She was holding a small bouquet of ugly flowers and it looked like she had something sparkly on her hand. On her left hand. _What the fuck?_

Emmett and Rosalie kept walking towards us and I kept the elevator open for them. They both looked a little shocked to see me in the elevator with Bella.

"Rosie, I missed you," cried Bella as she wrapped her arms around Rosalie drunkenly. "I thought you were going to bed. Did you go watch the fountain show? Wasn't it awesome?" yelled Bella, a little too loudly for the small confines of our elevator.

"Yeah Bella, we saw the show. It was very cool," said Rosalie nervously. "What did you guys do?"

"We played blackjack for a few hours, Bella drank more than was entirely necessary and I'm out almost three hundred dollars," I said as my eyes kept glancing from both of their hands. Emmett's left hand was adorned with a ring as well.

"It looks like our night as not as exciting as yours though," I said, as I grabbed their hands and held them up, revealing their rings to Bella.

"You guys got married?" shrieked Bella so loudly that Emmett and I both put our hands to our ears. "Why the hell would you go and do that?" _My sentiments exactly._


	17. Mother of Pearl

**A/N: Yet another new chapter. Don't forget to watch Jackson Rathbone on Criminal Minds tonight (Wed Apr 8****th****) I'm over 150 reviews and just over 100 people who have me on alert. This is big business for my little story. lysvia, where are you girl?? HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVEBUGKISS!**

**Bella POV**

The rest of our time in Vegas seemed to be marred with the fact that Emmett and Rosalie had gotten married. Alice and Edward were completely against the union, citing the fact that they had only been together for a month. Jasper was completely indifferent and I was thrilled for Rose, because I knew how much she had changed since she met Emmett, and the change was definitely for the better. The flight back to Chicago was even more awkward because now all six of us had to be in a confined space with no chance of escape for a few hours. I almost considered flying back by myself on United or something, just so I could escape the death stares between Emmett and Edward.

"So, who's up for twenty questions?" asked Jasper as he tried, unsuccessfully, to break the tension in the cabin.

"Here's a question… why the hell did you two get married?" yelled Alice.

"We've heard that question recently," I added remorsefully. The entire dynamic that had formed between the six of us had gone away. We were now Edward and Alice. Rosalie and Emmett. Jasper and I sat out of the groups, completely separate because although we didn't agree with what had happened, I didn't disagree. They were adults and they could make their own decisions.

"When are you going to tell Mom and Dad?" asked Edward with a sly smirk on his face.

"I think in a few weeks, after Rose has moved into my place," said Emmett casually. He was trying really hard to take everything in stride, to be strong for Rosalie, but I knew he was having a rough time with his family not accepting the marriage.

"Wait, did you just say she was moving out?" I asked, suddenly completely shocked. It's like someone kicked me at the knees and I doubled over in pain, except I hadn't moved from my seat beside Edward. I hadn't thought about Rosalie moving out.

"Well, obviously Bella. I'm not going to stay living with you when I'm married now," said Rosalie sympathetically. I hadn't really thought of that while I was trying to be supportive of their relationship. "You can probably afford the place by yourself now anyways. You can turn my bedroom into a studio or darkroom or whatever you want." I just nodded my head in mock agreement, realizing that my best friend would be moving out.

"Thanks for the ideas," I said to Rose as I turned back to the magazine on my lap I had been pretending to read. I hadn't realized that everything was going to change so drastically.

"Is she pregnant? Is that why you are doing this?" asked Alice a little while later.

"Well, there's a new question," said Jasper as he smiled uncomfortably at Emmett and Rosalie.

"No, she's not pregnant Alice," said Emmett, his voice sounding defeated. "We love each other. We got married. Get over it."

"Don't worry, things will work out," whispered Edward quietly to me.

"Why are you suddenly optimistic about this?" I asked curiously as I turned towards him to see his reaction.

"I just like the idea of you living alone, without a roommate," he said with a sly grin. I punched him lightly on the shoulder and his smile grew bigger. "I'm not in favor of the wedding, but it's their life. They are adults, so if they want to screw it up, let them. I've decided to become neutral. I'm beige. I'm tan. I'm mother of pearl, I'm so neutral." I just laughed at him and put my head back on his shoulder, somewhere it hadn't been for a few days.

"So, are we gonna try for date number two?" I asked curiously, desperately trying to talk about anything other than Rosalie and Emmett.

"Sure, what are you doing tonight?" he asked sweetly.

"Catching up on all the sleep I missed in Vegas."

"Want me to come over? We can order in and watch a movie or something?"

"Sure," I replied happily as I tried to get some sleep before the flight ended.

When we finally landed, we piled into Emmett's car and drove back to our apartment. He and Rosalie picked up a few items and she headed back to his place with him, although now I figure it's probably _their_ place. I dropped my luggage in the living room and looked around apartment, imagining how empty it will be when Rosalie officially moves out. Edward could see my reaction and immediately swooped in behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"Think positive Bella, they won't be having sex on the dining room table anymore," he laughed as he broke the tension.

"Thank god."

"I'm gonna go start a quick load of laundry, why don't you pull out some take out menus from the top drawer in the kitchen," I said as I grabbed my duffle bag and started unloading things into the washing machine. I took all the lingerie that I brought and tossed it in a nearby laundry basket, reflecting on how I had brought it but it never got the chance to be worn.

"Sorry you didn't get to use any of that?" asked Edward as he came up behind me and scared me a bit.

"How did you know?"

"When I unpacked in Vegas I opened the first drawer and there is was, practically screaming at me. All sorts of lace and satin, buttons and bows. It was intimidating. I just ignored it though. When you're ready for that stuff, then I'm ready." He was officially the sweetest guy I had ever met. I just rolled my eyes at him, started the washing machine and grabbed the menus from his hand as I went back to the living room.

"So lingerie intimidates you," I laughed as I sat on the couch and Edward sat beside me, looking a bit flustered.

"Just your lingerie Bella," and I instantly blushed, "and thoughts of you in that very same lingerie."

"What do you feel like for dinner? I'm thinking pizza. We ate too much fancy shit in Vegas." I said switching topics quickly as I casually I leaned my head against him.

"Pizza sounds good. I like pepperoni and extra cheese." I just nodded by head and called the local pizzeria and requested my regular order. Edward hopped off the couch and started rifling through my DVD's to find something we both want to watch.

"American Beauty?"

"Nah, too dramatic," I sighed. "What about a comedy?"

"Not really feeling it," he admitted in frustration. "You need better movies Bella. Do you have anything good on your TIVO?"

"I think I have Sunday's episode of the Amazing Race and a few episodes of Entourage. Any of those sound appealing?"

"Entourage it is. You can live your John Cusack infatuation vicariously through Jeremy Piven for a few hours," he laughed as I wandered towards my bedroom to get changed into something more comfortable. We talked aimlessly for a little bit while awaiting our pizza delivery. We had watched one episode of Entourage before it finally arrived and were arguing about Kevin Dillons' character almost completely through dinner. Edward thought he was comic genius and I found him simply annoying.

"I'll be honest, I only watch the show cause I think Kevin Connelly and Adrian Grenier are hot," I said feeling slightly ashamed. "Sure, the show is funny too, but I'm not addicted to it like Emmett is."

"Okay, how about we watch reruns of the Golden Girls then?" he asked sarcastically. I just rolled my eyes at him and continued eating. Once we were both finished, I cleaned everything up and went to sit back down on the couch with Edward. He had changed his position and was leaning against one of the arms of the couch. One leg was up on the couch and the other on the floor beside him and he patted the spot between his legs, motioning for me to sit down. "I won't bite Bella."

I sat down without any reluctance and leaned back against his chest. His arms immediately wrapped around me and I suddenly felt very comfortable, at home even.

"This is nice," I said gently as my hand found his thigh and rubbed it softly.

"Yes it is," sighed Edward. "So, date number two right? We need to make plans since tonight clearly isn't a date to me, this is hanging out."

"What constitutes a date in your opinion Edward?"

"We have to be out in public, and not with a group of friends, because again that is just hanging out," he said confidently.

"Okay, so where do you want to go?" I asked as I felt his chin rest on my shoulder as he grabbed the remote and turned off the TV.

"What about dinner and movie, that's harmless right?"

"Why does it need to be harmless?" I asked, suddenly confused.

"Maybe harmless was the wrong word. It's easy, carefree, simple?" He looked just as confused as I felt. "I just don't want to move too fast."

"That makes sense. So, we'll do dinner and a movie. How about Friday night, like around six?"

"You can pick the restaurant and the movie though, I like your ideas for dates more than mine," I laughed nervously.

"What ideas do you have?" he asked curiously as he raised an eye brow at me.

"I don't have ideas," I said, desperately trying to retract my statement. Suddenly I felt Edwards's hands at my sides and he started tickling me. I immediately wriggled my entire body trying to get free from his grasp, but he was very good. "Edward Cullen, if you don't stop tickling me I will resort to physical violence. Ask Rosalie, she had a shiner for a week last time she tickled me," I screamed loudly and he finally backed down. I positioned myself back between his legs and he wrapped his arms around me again.

"Sorry," he said remorsefully.

"It's okay, I just can't stand to be tickled, so write that shit down somewhere, _Bella hates to be tickled, she hates parsnips and brussel sprouts and she hates the fact that she will soon be living alone."_

Edward turned my head around gently so I was facing him. "You don't want to live alone?" he asked curiously. "I thought you would thrive on the independence."

"I'm independent now; I just like having Rosalie here. I always come home to my best friend and we chat about the stupidest crap. We've lived together for so long, I don't remember what it's like to not live with her," I admitted to Edward, although I felt a bit stupid.

"Why don't you just get a new roommate?"

"That's such a pain in the ass. I'll probably end up with someone who likes to freeze dry goldfish or eat chocolate covered grasshoppers, or something equally disturbing, like a European." I joked awkwardly.

"Europeans aren't all bad Bella, but I can understand your reluctance at getting a new roommate. You should stay here, you'll have plenty of room, you already love the area and the record store is nearby. Your only other option really is to move to a new place, but do you really want to do that?" he asked, sounding like the voice of reason.

"Well, no, I don't really want to move. Maybe I can convince Rose and Em to move in here," I said sarcastically.

"Good luck with that one sweetie. Emmett's place is huge, he bought it as a foreclosure, fixed it up and it's awesome. I'm kind of envious of his house actually. There is no way Rosalie will want to stay here, plus do you really want to hear them having sex at all times of the day?" I shuddered at the thought, recalling when we had walked in on them. "How about you take it one day at a time?"

"Like Schneider?" I asked, referring to the old TV show.

"No," he said shaking his head to fight off the laughter. "Let Rose move out and see how things go without her here. Maybe you won't even notice a difference and all this worrying will have been for nothing."

"Why are you so smart?" I asked as I laid my head back against his chest and he kissed the top of my forehead.

"One of us has to be, otherwise how the hell will we last?" he laughed as I punched him in the thigh. "Are you ready for bed?" he asked as I glanced at the clock on the mantel and noticed it was almost eleven.

"Are you staying?" I asked, sounding slightly hopeful and possibly a little more enthusiastic than I meant to sound.

"Do you want me to stay?"

"Do you want me to be fucking retarded?" I asked as a channeled Steve Carrell from the 40 year old virgin.

"What am I going to do with you Bella?" asked Edward as he stopped laughing and helped me up from the couch.

"What do you want to do with me?" I asked huskily and I could see his mind running a mile a minute. If his thoughts were even remotely close to mine, they probably involved no clothes and a lot of sweating.

"I want to go to _sleep_with you tonight," said Edward as he emphasized the word sleep and grabbed my hand, leading me into my room. "After date number two, then we can discuss all the other things I want to do with you." I just nodded my head, feeling slightly dazzled by him at this very moment.

We both changed in private and then met in the bathroom to brush our teeth together. It was odd. I kept staring at him in the mirror or glancing to my left to watch him, and I felt like a teenage girl who had finally gotten up the nerve to talk to the guy she liked. It was such a foreign feeling to me, but I liked it. When we had finished, I walked back into my room and turned on my favorite Jeff Buckley CD and laid down in my bed, with Edward beside me, his arms wrapped tight like a vise.

"This is the right way to fall asleep," I said casually after a quick yawn. "In the arms of my boyfriend." I meant it when it rang in my head, but hearing the words actually come out of my mouth was a different story. I suddenly felt regret. I think it surprised Edward too because he immediately let go of me, and hopped out of the bed. "Where are you going?" I asked confused. "I'm sorry, it just slipped out."

He leaned down and kissed me passionately on the lips. "I have to run home for a moment, I have a note to pull off of my fridge," he said as he ran out of the room happily. I jumped up and followed him. He was actually trying to put his shoes on when I grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the bedroom.

"Do you really want to go and take a note of your fridge, or do you want to sleep with me?" I asked sweetly when we were back in my bedroom.

"Definitely you," he said as he pushed me back onto the bed kissing me passionately. "The note will be there tomorrow."

"So will I," I sighed happily as he pulled me back into his arms and we fell asleep together, happier than I had ever felt in all my years.

**A/N: Sorry to all the readers who were excited about the possibility of Edward and Bella moving in together. I haven't moved their relationship on very quickly, so I'm not gonna start now! LOL**


	18. Future Sex Love Sounds

**A/N: Good Morning All. I felt a bit of inspiration last night in typing this, and of course, couldn't stop until it was done. I'm sure none of you are complaining. This is an all Edward Chapter. I am however going to take a moment to address some questions from my reviews:**

**-About the note Edward wanted to pull off his fridge, refer back to Chapter 2 for the specifics of the note and Chapter 5 for why it was still on his fridge in the first place.**

**- Yes there will be more drama for Edward & Bella as well as Emmett & Rosalie. Just cause I'm building up slowly, doesn't mean everything will always be fabulous. Just remember, I'm a big fan of canon couples and happily ever after.**

**Thanks to darcy13 for your sweet words and lovebugkiss I hope you really did have a great 20****th**** birthday! I don't remember my 20****th****, I was way too fucking hammered. Ah, how I loved the lower legal drinking age in Canada.**

**Edward POV**

February had been one long month and I was pretty glad to see it coming to an end. Only a few days left. Bella and I had managed to go out on three more official dates and we continued to hang out every Sunday morning. A few days before Valentine's Day Rosalie finally moved out, but Bella didn't have a chance to let it sink in because the very next day she was off to Los Angeles for a week for work. I lucked out because I didn't have to plan some elaborate date for us, but it was pretty damn depressing to be alone on valentines when you actually have a girlfriend.

We talked on the phone a few times and once we even tried phone sex, which Bella actually initiated, but we both felt incredibly awkward, especially since we hadn't moved past second base since we had started dating.

"I feel like the creepy guy from the movie 'Happiness' who jerks off when he randomly calls numbers from the phone book," I said embarrassingly to Bella after our failed attempt.

"Well, all my excitement is definitely gone now," she laughed before she launched into a long story about how disturbing the movie was and I had to agree with her completely. Bella finally came home a few days later and after a little begging on my part, she actually let me pick her up at the airport. Of course, I brought flowers with me in a small attempt to make up for her being away for Valentine's Day. This was four days ago. Four excruciatingly long days.

"Why don't you come over tonight, I'll make us dinner?" she asked when she called me this early morning. I was just about to leave for yet another meeting with my publisher and I promised to be at her place before five. "I'm pulling out Grandma Swan's cookbook, so you better be hungry." I was excited, primarily because I had never really had any of Bella's cooking, unless you count the soup from a can and the scrambled eggs she made for me when I was sick last month.

When I finally arrived, Bella looked very domestic when she opened the door. She was wearing a tight pair of jeans and a cute red sweater, topped off with an apron that says 'Pork the one you love' with a little pig on it.

"Nice apron" I said as I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she just blushed and started laughing.

"It was Emmett's. He gave it to me because Rose wanted to throw it out and he couldn't bear to see it in the trash. I thought it was pretty damned funny," she laughed again as she looked in the pot on the stove.

"So, what's for dinner hon?" I asked as I helped myself to a beer from the fridge and got comfortable on a stool at the counter.

"Chicken Pot Pie with mashed potatoes and carrots," replied Bella as she peeked into the stove to see how dinner was doing. "It shouldn't be too much longer."

"Well, it smells really good. Grandma Swan must have been an excellent cook."

"Yeah well, I figured I should do something special for you since you are always doing things for me," she sighed a bit and took a sip of her drink that she had been nursing since I got in the door.

"You don't like that I do things for you?" I asked with a hint of frustration in my voice. I didn't think I had actually done that much for her really, but she clearly seemed to think otherwise.

"No, it's fine. I'm just gonna try to even the playing field a bit tonight," she said as she winked at me and started to drain the water from her potatoes.

"Do you need any help?" I asked as I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I leaned down and kissed her neck gently as I watched her wash a few dishes in the sink.

"No, I don't need help babe," she replied sweetly. "Why don't you go pick some music or something for us to listen to? You can always set the table if you want." I wandered over to the tiny CD shelf and looked through her small collection.

"We're gonna have to work on your music selections Bella," I told her as I finally settled on the Soundtrack to Garden State. "This is really sad for someone who loves music as much as you do."

"Whatever Edward, not all of us can afford the three thousand CD's that you own."

"It's not three thousand Bella, and I'm selective of my music," I laughed as I thought of all the stuff on my shelves that Emmett had left behind when he lived with me for two weeks a few years ago and I couldn't be bothered to give back to him. I grabbed the cutlery she had laid out on the counter and quickly set the table. I sat down and relaxed, as per her directions and listened to the music as she paced around the kitchen serving up the meal. When she finally sat down with me, I actually had to remind her to remove the apron.

"It's a little distracting," I said with a chuckle as she finally untied it and threw it over the top of one of the dining room chairs. "Feel free to take off anything else you'd like," I joked as I took a bite of the pot pie. It was fabulous, and I was a bit shocked.

"Not bad huh?" said Bella as she caught the pleased expression on my face. "I can cook, I just choose not to. It's not like I picked this crap up from the food channel or something, I'm a natural."

"It's awesome." I replied, still a bit dazed by her superior cooking abilities. We ate dinner and enjoyed some casual conversations that were filled with a ton of sexual innuendo, which made me laugh, because it was clear to both of us that third base or home plate was going to be reached tonight. After dinner, I insisted that I do the dishes while she relaxed because I knew it must have taken her a while to make such an excellent meal. She didn't relax though, in fact, she disappeared completely. She changed the music to something I think was Justin Timberlake, but I tried my best to focus on the task at hand so I could get it done as quickly as possible.

"Have you ever seen the movie '27 Dresses'?" she called from the bedroom.

"Sadly, yes. With Alice of all people and she spent the entire time discussing the clothing in the movie. She didn't like any of it except for the wedding dress at the end. I was drinking heavily at the time and I am very ashamed," I admitted as I walked into the living room. I was very confused. Bella had moved the club chair from the living room into the entrance of the hallway which led to her room.

"Yeah, Rosalie made me watch it one day and I complained constantly about the fact that it was 2 hours of my life I wouldn't get back," she said through her closed door.

"At least they sang 'Benny and the Jets'. If we ever do karaoke again, remind me to sing that song. Are you okay in there?" I asked starting to get concerned in addition to confused.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sit in the chair." I did as requested and waited a few more moments in silence. "So, I went shopping while I was in L.A." she added casually. In my head all I could think of was _'zipididodah'_, who cared where she went shopping. What the hell did that have to do with anything? Suddenly the song on the stereo changed to _'future sex /love sounds' _and her bedroom door opened. I almost had a heart attack. There she stood in a sexy black lace bra and panty set. She walked towards me and did a little twirl and there were ruffles on her ass… _ruffles. I was gone._ Bella definitely had more skills that I realized.

"Do you like it?" she asked confidently, once she had finished her turn. I just nodded my head. I couldn't say anything. "There's a few more I want to show you. It's like '27 Dresses' but with sexy new lingerie." I just nodded again and she sauntered back into her room to change again. _Oh, how I love whoever invented ruffled panties._

The second outfit was just as appealing to me, and I had to adjust myself in my seat to relief my increasing discomfort. This time she was wearing something that I suppose would be considered a nightie, I don't know lingerie terms. It was see through and the top looked like a bra, with some little flowers and more fucking ruffles. She was trying to kill me.

"What about this one?" she asked as she walked around the chair I was sitting in and leaned over my shoulder and bit my ear.

"That one is nice… "I said quietly as I swallowed awkwardly. I was so damned nervous now.

"I bought a whole bunch more, but I think I will wait till another time to show them to you." I wanted to scream out '_no, show me now'_ but it didn't seem like a good idea. "The next one will be the last one," she smirked as she headed back into her room again, I was slightly disappointed. This time she took a longer time to get ready and I was getting even more uncomfortable anticipating what she had in store for me. When she finally opened the door and sauntered out in knee high socks, a short plaid skirt, a white dress shirt and pigtails, I launched myself off the chair and ran straight for her, picking her up in my arms and practically throwing her on the bed.

"You are evil," I said as I immediately ripped open the front of her shirt, watching a few buttons fly across the room. I smiled in excitement as I noticed she had the first outfit on underneath her slutty clothes. _I loved those fucking ruffles._ I dove my head down to her chest, licking and kissing every square inch of her from her neck to her belly button.

"Why am I evil?" she asked as she started clawing at my shirt, eagerly pulling it off over my head.

"You have no idea how hard it has been for me for the past two months," I panted as I yanked hard on her skirt, trying to pull it from her body. She lifted her ass and I was able to pull it off and I threw it somewhere, I didn't care where. My hand immediately cupped her ass. The ruffles felt even better than they looked. "It's killed me to not be able to touch something I already had."

She grabbed my face in both of her hands and pulled me down to her and began kissing me passionately. This was definitely a new level for Bella and I in the kissing department. She worked her tongue in mouth my expertly, alternating between sucking hard and then biting tenderly. "You should have just asked me," she sighed when she pulled away from my face for a moment.

"Oh, it was that easy?" I asked as I pulled her leg up and started to pull her ruffled panties off of her. "Maybe I should tease you the way you teased me a few moments ago," I laughed as I spread her legs and ran my fingers gently along the outside of her heat. She flinched slightly from my touch.

"Well that's just evil," she laughed, repeating the same words I had just spoken to her. I just smiled and started kissing my way up her thigh, after I had pulled her ridiculously long socks down to her ankles. There was no way I would be able to last through a ton of foreplay after her little dances for me in the hallway. I licked my way up her body, stopping at her earlobe where I began nibbling gently, remembering, like I had since last October, that she loved her ears bitten.

Bella immediately wrapped her legs around my waist and her hands reached up and started to unbutton my jeans. I helped her and pushed them off of me as quickly as I could, with my boxers following close behind into the pile of clothes somewhere in the room. I wanted to say something sweet, sexy or romantic to her, but I couldn't think straight. All I could feel was the warmth radiating from between her legs. It was making my hard on twitch with excitement. I had absolutely no words to describe this, and it was killing me, because I describe things for a living.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern when she noticed I was quiet for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm fucking fabulous." I said as I buried my head into her neck and began kissing her again. Her hands found my back and she was running her nails and up down my back and I was groaning in pleasure and discomfort. Then I remembered I desperately needed a condom and my jeans were on the other side of the room. In typical Bella fashion though, she slid open the top drawer of her nightstand and pulled one out. A few moments later, I was ready and couldn't wait to feel her wrapped around me again.

I pushed myself slowly inside her, feeling her body flex with my movements. She moaned in pleasure and her hands started to grasp onto the pillows her head was resting on. I bent my face forward and pulled the fabric of her bra down so that it was cupping her breasts and started to lick and suck each nipple, alternating between the two, as I found a good rhythm inside of her.

"Fuck, Edward," screamed Bella when I accidently bit her a little harder than I anticipated, but apparently, this just made her more excited because her hands gripped my hair tightly and she started to buck her body beneath mine. She started to tighten her body, and I knew she was on the verge of coming, so I bit her other nipple just as hard as I had the last one. She screamed out in pleasure again, her face turned a deep shade of pink and her body shook while she came. Watching her was all it took for me, and I exploded deep inside her as I watched her beautiful smiling face beneath me.

I couldn't move. I didn't want to move. I wanted to wrap myself around her and lay with her forever. Where were these words earlier, I thought to myself. I rolled to the side and swept her up into my arms, holding her tightly as I nuzzled my head into her neck and began smelling her hair.

"That was… even better than the first two times," laughed Bella as she turned slightly so that she was facing me and kissed my lips tenderly.

"So, what other stuff did you buy in Los Angeles?" I asked, suddenly very interested in the shopping trip she had taken.

"You'll see eventually," she smirked as I smacked her gently on her ass. She pretended it hurt and gave a quiet little 'ow' and I just laughed at her.

"How long have you been planning that Bella?" I asked curiously, still a little shocked by her surprise.

"Umm… since our first date," she said unashamed, as her hands reached up and started to move some of my hair that had fallen on my face. "Did you ever think after that night at the bar that we would end up here almost six months later?"

"Yeah. After that first night, and not the sex, the conversation, I was trying to figure how to propose to you without coming across as a completely psycho," I laughed and she just kissed me again on the lips. "I knew you had to be in my life somehow. We were just too perfect for each other. Then meeting again at Alice's party completely sealed the deal for me." Bella looked at me again, and her eyes didn't show lust like they had earlier. There was something completely different there, but I didn't know what.

"Why did you become my friend?" asked Bella as she laid her head on my chest and clung to me.

"I had nothing to lose. I could either become your friend and have you in my life, or risk losing you. I would have waited a lot longer for you Bella Swan." I leaned down and kissed her tenderly on her forehead. "When did you decide to let your guard down?"

"Who said I let my guard down?" she laughed. "After that night with Seth, I just realized if you want something, you need to go for it. I want you, and now that I have you I'm not letting you go."

"Wanna go to Vegas and elope?" I asked sarcastically.

"No." she said happily as she kissed my neck. "How about we just get through month number two?"

"Deal," I said as we snuggled and continued talking for a little while before we fell asleep.

_What the hell is that sound?_ I glanced at Bella's clock and it was almost four in the morning and there was some loud banging out in the living room. Bella didn't even move. I slid away from her and opened her door slowly to see someone coming into the apartment. I didn't have time to think. I just threw open the door and tried to scare off whoever the hell was in the apartment.

"Edward?" I heard from a muffled voice. I blinked and tried to adjust my eyes in the darkness of the room.

"Rosalie? Are you okay?" I asked as I heard her sobbing.

"Emmett and I had a huge fight" she said through her tears as she flipped on the light. I was not prepared for that because in my haste to get into the living room to figure out what the hell the noise was, I hadn't gotten dressed.

"Oh for god sakes, get some clothes on," she shrieked in surprise. I ran back to Bella's room and quickly tossed my boxers on.

"What's going on?" asked Bella groggily as she sat up on the bed slightly. "Come back to bed." I just sighed because I wanted more than anything to climb back into bed beside her.

"Rosalie's here. She and Emmett apparently had a big fight." I said awkwardly. I really didn't want to go back into the room with Rosalie and have her confess all of her issues to me over a pint of Cherry Garcia. I was definitely not going alone. Bella hopped up from the bed and tossed on my t-shirt and the pair of boxers she had stolen from me on the first night, and walked back into the living room with me.

"What's going on Rose?" asked Bella as she walked over to Rosalie and gave her a big hug. Rosalie broke down completely at this point and Bella guided her to the couch to sit down. I grabbed myself a quick drink of water and went to join Bella on the couch. She immediately moved herself so that she was sitting on my lap.

"Emmett and I had a huge fight and I need a place to crash for a few days," she said sounding remorseful.

"What happened?" asked Bella as she reached up and stroked her hair, trying to offer comfort.

"Your parents happened," said Rosalie angrily at me. This was definitely going to be a long night. I should get us each a pint of Cherry Garcia and maybe some bottles of Patron. I needed tequila if I was going to be subjected to girl talk.

**A/N: Please review. The more reviews, the more romance and lemons :) mmmm lemony goodness. mmmm... spiked lemonade from Jack Astors.**


	19. Fully, Completely

**A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews on the last chapter. I am one review short of the 173 I had on my last story, so I am thrilled! I had some issues writing this one, but I think it turned out fluffy enough and funny enough, until the end of course. I hope everyone enjoys. I'll be slow on updating after tonight. I have some visitors until Sunday night. I'll update as much as possible though!**

**Bella POV**

Right now I could say I was really mad at Rosalie for busting in here at four in the morning, especially since she interrupted my comfortable sleep with Edward, but she was hurting and since I was her best friend, something had to be done.

"What did they do?" I asked slowly as I felt Edward's arms wrap around me and I laid my head on his shoulder. I was beyond exhausted at this point.

"We finally had dinner with them tonight and told them about the wedding," said Rosalie between her sobs.

"Damn, I wish I had been there for that," said Edward with a chuckle. I just smacked him on the shoulder. "What? Bella, you can't tell me you wouldn't have wanted to be a fly on that wall for that conversation."

"That's beside the point. So what did they say Rosalie?"

"They want us to get it annulled. Which I don't even think we can considering how many times we've consummated the thing. Hell, we even did it in their bathroom tonight. Anyways, Emmett said nothing. He just sat there like a little statue. I had to tell your parents about the wedding, he wouldn't do anything," she said as more tears fell down her face. I grabbed the Kleenex from the coffee table offered them to her.

"Sounds like Emmett," said Edward assertively. "He never was one for confrontation with my parents. He's also my mother's favorite, so if he thought he had disappointed her, he would probably shut down," offered Edward sweetly.

"This will blow over. Don't give up on Emmett, just talk to him about it. The Cullen men are well worth the work," I said with a wink in Edward's direction. He gripped me tighter to him and just smiled at me. "Why don't you go rest in your old room Rosalie? After a few hours of sleep, we can determine a plan of attack." She nodded her head as I hopped off of Edward's lap and helped her to her old room. As soon as she was comfortable and lying on her bed, I headed back to my room. Edward was back in my bed awaiting me.

"That was unexpected," he said as he patted the bed for me to join him. I slid in beside him and he pulled the blankets tightly over us.

"What do you think will happen?"

"I think it will pass. My parents might not be excited about it, but I can't recall a time when they didn't give Emmett what he wanted. He wants Rosalie, more than anything in the world from what I can tell, so it will pass." He sounded confident as we cuddled up together and tried to go back to sleep.

"Why did you rush back in here when Rosalie showed up?" I asked confused.

"Oh, she saw my bait and tackle. I forgot I was naked when I headed out to the living to confront what I assumed was a burglar." Bella just laughed at me and snuggled closer.

When I finally woke up a few hours later, Edward was nowhere to be found. I stumbled sleepily from my bed and found him making breakfast and talking to Rosalie in the kitchen.

"Good Morning Sexy," he said with a little wink in my direction before turning back to his conversation with Rosalie. "If I know anything, it's that Emmett is scared of my parents. He acts all tough and whatever, but he loves the lifestyle that being a Cullen has afforded him. Without it, he never would have met you. So, I say you should just talk to him," said Edward sweetly.

"You're right. I should just talk to him about it," replied Rosalie with a slight smile.

"You're obviously doing a bit better this morning," I said as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and gave her a little hug. She just nodded her head and glanced down at her cell phone that had just started ringing. "It's Emmett." She picked it up and walked into her room to have a conversation with him.

"I'm making pancakes, I hope you don't mind," said Edward as he turned back to the fry pan on the stove and poured some batter in.

"Hell no. It's like I have my own personal Alice."

"What?" he asked, sounding very confused.

"You know, Alice from the Brady Bunch. Nice apron by the way," I laughed as he was now wearing the 'pork the one you love' apron that Emmett had given me. He just smiled and turned back to the stove to make sure nothing burned.

It was only a few minutes later when Rosalie came out of her old room, with a slight smile on her face. "He's on his way to your parents right now," informed Rosalie as she sat down on the stool beside me at the counter. I was staring at Edwards ass as he cooked me breakfast and Rosalie had distracted me.

"Why is he doing that?" asked Edward as he slid a two plates of pancakes along the counter, one for me and one for Rosalie.

"He's going to tell them off, or so he claims," she laughed.

"And you don't think he can do it?" I asked as a poured some maple syrup on my breakfast and starting eating immediately, not realizing how hungry I was. "I think he'll do it."

"I don't know. Like Edward said, he doesn't like to disappoint his mom. But I'm starting to wonder if maybe they are more disappointed with the fact that it took us almost a month to tell them, rather than the fact that we got married." I nodded my head in agreement and we all finished our breakfast in peace. Rosalie kept staring at her cell phone, waiting for a return call from Emmett explaining what went down with his parents. Edward and I had our showers and while I was getting dressed, we tried to figure out what to do with our Saturday.

"Why don't we just stay here and relive last night?" asked Edward with a sly grin on his face. I just shook my head and pulled my favorite light blue sweater on over a tank top. "Is that like your uniform? Everytime you pull a sweater off, there is a tank top or t-shirt underneath."

"It's just comfortable. Are you complaining? Are there too many layers for your liking?" I asked huskily as I crawled towards him on the bed and kissed him on the cheek. His arms encircled my waist and he pulled me down onto the bed and propped himself above me on his hands, and was staring at me.

"You're beautiful," he said sweetly as he kissed my forehead. I was about to reciprocate when Rosalie burst into the room brimming with excitement. "You don't live here, knock on the door damn it," yelled Edward a bit frustrated that we were interrupted. He leaned back on his knees as I sat up on the bed.

"What happened now?" I asked as I straightened my shirt.

"We're getting married."

"No shit Sherlock, you're already married," I snapped back at her.

"Esme and Carlisle said they would be supportive if Emmett and I had a real wedding. I guess they want to put on a show for all of their friends or whatever, I don't care. WE'RE GETTING MARRIED," she screamed as she ran from my bedroom and started jumping and down in the living room.

"I've never seen a married person so excited about getting married again," I laughed.

"What about Larry King. Doesn't he marry a younger model like every other week?" joked Edward. "He's one lucky bugger." When we walked back into the living room a few minutes later, Rosalie had her bag over her shoulder and was leaving.

"Aww… off so soon?" asked Edward pretending to be disappointed.

"Yeah, I have to run home to Emmett. Bella, you will be my maid of honor right?" she asked, and I just simply nodded. "I'm gonna call Alice and have her design a dress. I'm sure she can whip something perfect up in a few months."

"A few months? When are you getting married?" I asked as I realized all the effort that would need to be put into this affair.

"I'm hoping for the end of June. Emmett and I need to discuss it with his parents first, but it will be awesome," said Rosalie. She was practically bursting with fruit flavor she was so excited. When she finally left, I laid down on the couch in exhaustion with Edward. We fell asleep together on the couch for a few hours and when we woke up it was almost three in the afternoon. He had woken before me and was just sitting there running his fingers gently through my hair.

"It's snowing," he whispered to me. "I don't think we're going anywhere today."

I stood up from the couch and went to the living room window and watched the snow fall. It was actually falling pretty fast and there was a lot already accumulated on the street below. "I guess not," I sighed happily. "What do you want to do then?" His eyes practically glowed with anticipation.

"Well, we could pick up where we left off last night," he suggested happily as he stood behind me and kissed my neck. "Or you could cook me some dinner and we can hang out for a while?" I chose option number two; the sex would have to wait a little while. Edward lit my fireplace and we cuddled up on the couch again to watch 'Garden State.' It was one of the few movies I owned that Edward actually approved of.

"I thought Mark's mom had some of the funniest lines in the movie. I loved when she told them the carbon monoxide detector had been beeping for days so they shouldn't stay in the room too long since she had taken the batteries out," I laughed as Edward handed me a bowl of popcorn and we started the movie.

"I thought it was classic that Zach Braff's character was an actor who was best known for playing a mentally challenged quarterback in a TV movie." Edward said happily as he reached onto my lap for some popcorn and we just relaxed. Every time I looked out towards the window it got darker, but it was still snowing hard. "So, do you have a thing for Zach Braff too?" he asked curiously.

"He's no John Cusack, but I do enjoy scrubs and Garden State. I also enjoy the soundtrack to this movie, so I guess I like what he likes," I said casually.

"Yeah the soundtrack did rock. My favorites were Colin Hay's 'I just don't think I'll get over you' and Iron & Wines' "Such Great Heights'. Plus any soundtrack that features Lionel Richie is alright in my books," laughed Edward.

"Is that why you played it last night during dinner?" I asked casually.

"You caught me. I'm a closet Lionel Richie fan," he said as he kissed my neck again and we returned to watching our movie. "I'm partial to 'Dancing on the ceiling'," he laughed.

**Edward POV**

God bless the snow. Once Rosalie left, Bella and I enjoyed a very relaxing afternoon of napping and movie watching. I discovered her love of all things related to Zach Braff, including the movie 'Chicken Little' and she decided to cook for me again, which I was thoroughly excited about.

"I haven't done groceries yet, so we're going to have to settle for something like Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup," she called from the kitchen.

"That's fine," I answered as I picked up our soda cans and popcorn bag from the living room floor and cleaned up a little bit. "So, what do you want to do after dinner?" I asked casually as I watched her pour some tomato soup in a pot and place it back on the stove. "We can have snowball fight, go make snow angels, you can help me shovel my car out from the street…" I joked.

"I have something else in mind, so don't you worry about it." Of course, I didn't worry about it. I was now officially intrigued.

"Is this something as pleasing as last night's surprise?" I asked, practically bursting with excitement.

"Why don't you come here and slice up some cheddar cheese and stop asking so many questions." I just nodded my head and assisted her with dinner silently. A little while later we were both done and I took to doing the dishes again, since she had technically made dinner. Once again, Bella disappeared from the room. My mind wandered as I thought of all the things she could possibly be doing. We could be having a repeat of last night, but there was no music and the club chair was back in the living room. She could just walk in naked and I could have my way with her on the counter. I shook my head and went back to the dishes. I could sit here thinking about various scenarios like this for hours, but that would just be a waste of time.

"I'm done," I called when I had put the last dish in the dishwasher and wandered around looking for her. I even peeked outside to see if she was making a snow angel on the snowy ground below us. She wasn't.

"I'm in the bathroom," she yelled out to me. I just sat on the couch and waited for her to finish. Maybe she wasn't feeling too good. A few minutes later she yelled to me again. "Can you come here?" Of course I could. I walked tentatively to the bathroom, thinking I would probably have to hold her hair or something because she was sick, but what I was greeted with was quite the opposite. She was laying in a bubble bath and there were lit candles in the room.

"Don't you look comfortable," I laughed as I put the lid down on the toilet and sat down to watch her.

"You can get comfortable too," she said sexily as she moved forward in the tub, inviting me to join her. Bella didn't need to ask me twice. I practically ripped my clothes off as I slid into the tub behind her and her head rested against my chest. The water was boiling hot, but I didn't care. I draped my arms around her and held her close to me.

"Are you still trying to even the playing field?" I asked curiously as I ran my fingers through her damp hair. "I think you've done excellent so far. Although I will admit this is a little too 'Pretty Woman' for my taste."

"Too bad, I used to watch that movie all the time thanks to Rosalie. I honestly think she thought prostitution was a suitable career choice after we saw it. She just wanted Richard Gere though," laughed Bella happily. I wrapped my legs around hers and just relaxed. This was very comfortable.

"I could get used to this, ya know," I remarked casually as I felt her hands rubbing my calves gently.

"Yeah well, I cost more than Julia Roberts," she laughed.

"I'll pay any price." She just giggled at me, but I wasn't kidding. She could have my entire trust if it meant she wouldn't go anywhere. "So, what's on tomorrow's agenda? Are you going to take me somewhere to make pottery and remake that cheesy scene from 'Ghost'?"

"Not quiet. We're going down to the beach and we're going to reenact the scene in 'From Here to Eternity'" she laughed. "Then we're going to die from hypothermia or roll over onto some broken glass or syringes or something equally disgusting lying on one of the beaches on Lake Michigan."I kissed her forehead lightly as she laughed again. She was so happy, and I loved seeing her this way, I didn't want it to end.

"We could always just go to the top of the Empire State Building and profess our love for one another," I said with a grin.

"I loved that movie."

"Which one?"

"'An Affair to Remember' of course. Nothing against 'Sleepless in Seattle' it was kinda cute, but it doesn't hold a candle to the original." I nodded my head in agreement.

"Good answer. I think I'll keep you." We chatted aimlessly in the tub for a few more minutes, when I noticed Bella was starting to shiver. I popped up out of the tub and grabbed a few big fluffy towels for us and I wrapped her up in one the moment she stepped out of the tub.

"The idea was good in theory," she said as her teeth chattered lightly.

"The idea was excellent," I replied happily. "But water gets cold. We should have probably gotten out about five minutes ago, Bella." I said as I picked her up and brought her into her bedroom to help dry her off. Once she was completely dry, I realized that I probably should have dried myself too, as I was shaking lightly.

"I'll do it" said Bella, as she grabbed the towel from me and began to pat it gently across my body.

"Thanks," I said quietly when she was done and I was sliding my boxers back on. We ended up spending the rest of the night on her bed cuddling and talking about the 'Family Guy'. She was partial to the episode where Death comes to visit Peter because he signed the word 'deceased' on a medical form. I of course loved the one hour episode that was based on Star Wars. Before I could even finish telling her all my favorite parts of the episode she had fallen asleep in my arms. I brushed her hair back from her shoulder and buried my head in the crook of her neck and was asleep within minutes.

When we woke up the next morning, we decided to forgo our usual Sunday plans because we had just spent the last day and a half together. I had to get home and finish my latest chapter because at my meeting with my publisher on Friday I had promised them the new pages by mid-week. That was definitely going to be unattainable if I stayed here glued to Bella's side like I really wanted to.

"I'll call you later tonight," I said with a smile as I kissed her on the lips passionately and headed down the hallway. She peeked her head out of the doorway, watching me walk away again. I never really pegged Bella as an ass fan, but considering how often I had caught her recently, she must be. I had reached my car outside and noticed that there wasn't a ton of snow that I would have to move in order to get my car out from its parking spot, so I reached into the trunk for my tools and started to shovel my Volvo out. Just as I was finished, I looked back at Bella's building and saw a familiar looking person waiting at the door to be buzzed in. Suddenly a middle aged guy walked out of the building and left the door open for a little too long because the person I was having trouble recognizing squeezed through the door and headed upstairs.

I thought nothing of it until about 5 minutes later when I was driving down the street and my cell phone buzzed.

"Can you come back?" I heard Bella's voice pleading into the phone.

"Is everything okay?" I asked with concern as I turned onto the next street, trying to get back to Bella's place as soon as I could. The horribly plowed snow covered roads weren't helping much.

"Seth is here."


	20. Nautical Disaster

**A/N: thanks again for all the lovely reviews, and welcome back lysvia. I apologize in advance to everyone who wanted Edward to beat the crap out of Seth, but as per usual, I am building up to something bigger. Seth's current visit is just my latest chess move in my big game I like to call "Follow Through" which by the way is named after a Gavin DeGraw song. There will inevitably be some relationship drama, but for the next few chapters, it will be fluff and weddings. Enjoy!**

**P.S. My guests are late, so I could do another chappie**

**Edward POV**

When I finally got back to Bella's building, my parking spot out front was still free, thank god. I pulled in and jumped from the car as quickly as I could. When I got to the door after almost slipping on some of the ice that had formed on the walkway, I rang Bella's apartment and she didn't say anything, she just buzzed me into the building. As I ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, I saw that Seth wasn't even in her apartment; he was standing outside, banging on the door.

"Bella, open up. I really need to talk to you baby," said Seth, sounding drunk or high. He definitely was not sober.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked angrily as I approached him. He definitely didn't look the same as he had in the dark at the bar a month and a half ago. Seth looked skinner, paler and he definitely smelt like shit. His hair was longer, his clothes were dirtier and he looked like he had literally been living in a gutter for a very long time. What the hell did Bella ever see in this guy?

"I just need to see her," he mumbled as he backed away from the door, seeming a bit remorseful about his actions.

"Well, I'm guessing she doesn't want to see you since she won't open the door and she called me over here," I said indignantly.

"What are you, her fucking bodyguard?" he snapped as he began fidgeting with his hands and moving his feet around randomly.

"I'm whatever the hell she needs or wants me to be," I said, feeling elated to say those words in front of Seth. He didn't seem to back down though, he went to raise his fist against her door again, but I grabbed it before he could. "Dude, she doesn't want you. What the hell are you on?

"She's not even fucking dating you man. Noah told me she did all that shit just to piss me off," he yelled as a neighbor opened the door and peeked into the hallway. I motioned to her that it was under control and she shut her door quickly, locking it behind her. "Jasper told Noah that she was single and all that shit at the bar was done to make me jealous." He clearly wasn't getting the picture and Jasper and I clearly needed to have a discussion.

"That might have been the case at the time, but believe me when I say this Seth, I am dating Bella. She's mine, not yours." I glared at him, wishing he would just walk away before I had to do something I would completely regret. "Look at yourself Seth. In the last month you've practically wasted away. Doing drugs again?" I asked spitefully. I watched as his hands curled into a fist and I thought he was going to hit me. Instead he started banging on Bella's door again.

"BELLA... please open the door," Seth shrieked. The sound of his voice was so high pitched, I was certain there would be a pack of dogs arriving any second now.

"Don't touch the door Bella," I said back to her as I stood my ground in front of her door protectively.

"I'll just wait here till she lets me in," he said furiously as his breathing began to labor. He was definitely high.

"Well, you'll be waiting a while. Why are you even here?"

"I want her back." He had no emotion in his voice, so I could tell it wasn't true at all.

"No you don't. You just don't want someone else to have her. You don't want to see her happy. You want her to be fucking miserable like you," I said as I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I reached in and looked at the ID, it was Emmett. I shoved it back into my pocket and ignored it. "What happened to Carly?" Seth's head perked up and he looked at me with a face that basically told me I shouldn't be uttering her name. I've clearly hit a sore spot.

"Nothing," he said with an expression almost as blank as when he claimed he wanted Bella back.

"Why can't you take a hint? Bella doesn't want you here, didn't you hear the lyrics at the bar last month?"

Seth didn't respond, instead he started pacing around the hallway, as though he expected me to leave and then he was going to make his move. I wasn't going anywhere. I knew Bella was somewhere behind the door I stood in front of, probably scared out of her mind with tears streaming down her face. I hated even picturing my beautiful Bella like that.

"If you love her at all, you will leave her alone," I finally said to Seth as he sat down on the floor looking a bit defeated. Unexpectedly, Bella's apartment door opened up slowly and she walked out and wrapped her arm around my waist. My arm immediately draped over her shoulder protectively. I didn't want her out in this hallway with him. He was clearly high on something, and unfortunately for me, I had no experience in this area, so I had no idea what he was on.

"Seth, you need help, not me," she said tenderly as I looked down at her face. She had definitely been crying because her eyes were all red and puffy. I kissed her cheek in reassurance and she turned back to look at Seth sitting on the ground below us. "I am not the girl you thought I was. I don't love you anymore and I don't want you here."

Bella tried to sound so confident, but it wasn't really working. She was still scared as she leaned against me for support. Seth stood up slowly, not once taking his eyes off of Bella's face. "We were really happy together," he whispered to her.

"Yeah, we were, for like the first few months we dated. You're not the same person I met in the darkroom on campus. I don't like this person."

Seth's face fell completely and for a moment, he actually looked resigned to his fate. At least I prayed he was. I really wasn't looking forward to having to look over my shoulder for him while I dated Bella. He didn't need to be in our happy little bubble that we had created for ourselves.

"Did you ever love me?" asked Seth softly.

"I did love you once," replied Bella, "but not anymore. Go home Seth and straighten out your life."

"Do you love him?" he asked angrily as he pointed a shaky finger in my direction. As much as I wanted to punch him in the face right now for treating Bella like crap for so long, I really wanted to hear her response.

"Yes, and I have you to thank for it. If you hadn't shown up at that bar, I never would have realized what I had with Edward and how I was throwing it away because I couldn't get over you," she sighed as she looked up at me, and I realized that the look in her eye the other night that I couldn't explain was love. She was in love with me. This was like one of those poetic moments when everything was right in your life, except Seth still stood there fucking up my moment. I wanted to tell her I loved her too and carry her off into her bedroom and make love to her until we both passed out, but Seth wouldn't leave us alone.

"I'm sorry," he said as he bent his head in an apologetic manner. "I'm sorry I fucked us up."

"We would have broken up anyways. I was never meant to be anyone's crutch and when you started using, that's all I was to you; a warm shoulder to cry on about how pathetic your life is. With Edward, it's completely different and I'm a different person, a better person, a happy person." Bella smiled up at me again with her big brown eyes and I just wished all this was happening at a different time.

"And you want him… not me?" said Seth.

I just wanted to yell at him, '_how fucking dense are you? Leave us alone. She loves me.' _but I knew that would hurt Bella and I couldn't do that to her. I watched as Bella nodded her head and gripped me tightly. Seth didn't say anything after that. He just stumbled down the hallway, leaving us perched in front of her door.

"Grab whatever the hell it is you need to do today," I said forcefully. "You're staying with me tonight. I couldn't bear it if he came back and I wasn't here." I sighed and walked her back into the apartment to help her gather her things. She pulled together a big garbage bag full of laundry and grabbed her camera and laptop. I pulled down her duffle bag from the closet and shoved a bunch of clothes in it so that she would have something to wear, and she quickly threw on a pair of jeans and her old 'Pretenders' t-shirt.

"Let's go," said Bella as she grabbed my hand and pulled me out into the hallway. She locked the door quickly and we hopped into my car, both of us relieved to that that situation over with, even though I had a nagging feeling in the back of my head that Seth wasn't gone from our lives.

**Bella POV**

As we lugged my bags up to Edward's apartment, I couldn't help but feel somewhat relived. I was absolutely petrified when Seth showed up at my door, banging on it like a madman possessed, but when Edward showed up and basically staked his claim for me and became my protector, I knew I loved him. It was like one of those life altering moments, when every single piece of the puzzle fell into place. I was in love with Edward Cullen. I felt bad for having to reveal it the way I had, but I knew it wouldn't make a difference to Edward. He just wanted to know it, I could tell this from the reaction on his face when I said the words. I knew he loved me too.

When we got back to his apartment, we didn't say much to one another, but instead settled into a new Sunday routine. I pulled out my huge bag of laundry and sorted all of our stuff together, doing several big loads of _our_ laundry, like a couple that had been married for five years. He had work to do on his novel, and I had some photos to go through from my Los Angeles shoot so I got comfortable on his couch and did my work while I watched him type away at his computer. He put on some sort of rock music I had never heard before but it was actually very compelling and it made me focus on my work more. No wonder he listened to it while he wrote. _I had this dream where I relished the fray and the screaming filled my head all day, _began the lyrics of the latest song that poured from his speakers.

It was quiet, but it was noisy from the music. We both worked and even though I know we both tried to ignore the presence of the other, I was constantly glancing over to him as he typed. I would watch strands of hair fall over his eyes and he would run his hands through his hair and push them away. I would try to focus on my work again, but I wanted to move those strands of hair with my fingers. I imagined straddling him while he sat in his chair, typing away on the keys and distracting him completely for a little while, just so I could have my way with him. On more than one occasion, I caught him glancing back at me working away on my laptop, which was perched on my knees. I think he kept looking back because I was tapping my feet on his coffee table to the beat of the music playing.

"Who is this?" I finally asked, regarding his choice of music. Edward didn't look up from his screen as he responded.

"The Tragically Hip. They're Canadian. I caught them at some festival thing in Grant Park a few years ago. They always put me in a mood to write." I just nodded my head and went back to focusing on my photos until I had to work on the next load of laundry. It was just over an hour later when the next CD started, and it was the same band.

"Are you getting hungry? I can make us some lunch?" I offered sweetly. I saw him nod his head in acknowledgement and I opened his fridge, searching for anything that I could turn into a decent lunch. I failed miserably and I ended up making us club sandwiches with some Doritos he had in his cupboard. "Time for a break," I said as I put the food down on the table and got us each a Coke.

"Looks good," muttered Edward as he took bite of his sandwich happily.

"Are you always this quiet when you work?" I asked curiously as I reached into the bag for a chip.

"Yeah, it helps me focus. I turn on my Canadian rock bands and next thing I know, I've got two chapters done. I've got a deadline to meet this week, so I'm just trying to get it done as soon as I can."

"If I'm bothering you, let me know and I can go into the bedroom or have Rose pick me up and I can hang at their place."

"You're not bothering me at all Bella. In fact, I've been working better with you here," he said sounding very excited about this. "I might need to make you come over more often."

"Well, you wouldn't exactly be twisting my arm," I joked.

Once we were done lunch, I loaded another load of laundry into the washing machine and dryer, and took the completed clothes into Edward's room to fold them. I called Rosalie on his house phone and started to replay for her the events of our morning. It was almost two in the afternoon already.

"What happened?" she shrieked incredulously when I started to explain.

"Seth showed up this morning. He was all hopped up on something, but I had no idea what it was. Anyways, he and Edward had a confrontation in the hallway and Seth said he wanted me back."

"What a dipshit," said Rosalie with a sigh. "I'm sorry I missed all the action. What happened after that?"

"I told him to clean himself up and to leave us alone, that I was happy and in love with Edward and he was basically no competition."

"Did Edward hear you say that you loved him?" chirped Rosalie, excitement practically dripping from her voice.

"Yes."

"Did Edward tell you he loved you?"

"No."

"Why not?" she yelled angrily. I calmed Rosalie down and explained that Seth wanted me to prove I was over him and he asked me point blank if I loved Edward, so I was honest and said I did.

"It wasn't exactly the perfect moment to admit it," I said sadly. "I'm sure Edward's just working up to it. He's a grand gesture kind of guy, and even though I'm not really that kind of girl, I'm sure he's just waiting for the right moment."

"Bullshit. There's no such thing as the right moment. He should have manned up and just admitted it when you did. Lord knows he's been in love with you since he met you in October, from what Alice has explained to me anyways," said Rosalie in frustration. I knew she was never really pleased that I never confided in her about my one night stand with Edward almost six months ago, but she certainly could hold a grudge.

"Speaking of Alice, did you talk to her about your wedding dress?" I asked as I tried to change the subject.

"Yeah. She's going to get together some designs and bring them to the Cullen's next Sunday for family dinner. You are coming right?" asked Rosalie curiously.

"I haven't been invited yet, but I'll keep you posted," I said as I finished folding the laundry and ended my conversation with her. I put all of Edward's stuff away in his drawers and closet, just the way I knew he liked it, and then put my stuff into my duffle bag as neatly as possible. When I was completely done, I headed back into the living room to finish the editing I had been working on. Edward was staring aimlessly at the computer and grasping his hands in his hair in frustration.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I strolled up behind him and put my hands on his shoulders, trying to massage away his tension. He bent his head to the side so that it was touching my hand. It wasn't a big gesture, but it was a sweet one, and I knew he loved me too, even if he hadn't said it yet.

"I'm fine now that you are here," he said as he began typing away happily on his keyboard again and I went back to my comfortable spot on the couch, relishing in the fact that I was apparently his muse.


	21. Grace, Too

**A/N: Good Morning All. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews on the last chapter. This just a filler chapter with more Cullen family fun before we move onto a tiny bit of drama, or a whole lot of drama, depending on your perspective. Its 1am PST here, and I just noticed I had an error on chapter 5. A whole section in Edwards' POV was missing, so I added it tonight. I don't think it ruins the story because it was missing, but it's good to know. More playful banter and all that crap :)**

**To answer a few questions from my reviews, they will not be moving in together, yet. Edward will tell Bella he loves her soon and no, Seth hasn't messed her up too badly. Any other questions? Just ask! ******** Happy Friday Everyone!**

**Bella POV**

The week went by remarkably fast and before I knew, it was Sunday afternoon and Edward and I were driving out to his parents for another family dinner. Oh, how I dreaded it. Rosalie had called Edward and practically forced him to drag me with him to dinner, even though he later admitted he was going to ask me anyways, but had been too focused on the chapter he was working on. I took him at his word, and now here we sit in his Volvo, driving to the madness that is the Cullen house.

"I feel like crap in this outfit. Why is it that I can't wear jeans to your parents place?" I asked in frustration as I tried to pull my pencil skirt down a bit to cover more of my knee. Edward reached his hand across the console and gently rubbed my thigh to try to make me feel better.

"Its a few hours of our time, once a month, let's just suck it up. Plus, don't Rosalie and Alice want to talk your ear off about wedding details? When I talked to my mom earlier in the week, she actually sounded excited about it all," revealed Edward as we turned onto the long driveway leading to his parents home.

"Yeah, chit chat about a wedding that doesn't even really count because the couple is already married sounds like a blast," I added sarcastically as we got out of the car. "It's not like I get to make any decisions or suggestions. This is Rosalie we are talking about. She's been planning her wedding since she was in utero."

Esme greeted us politely when we finally entered, and Edward formally introduced me as his girlfriend, and his mother gave an all-knowing smile. I just blushed because it was the first time Edward had called me that to anyone, and it felt better than I had anticipated.

"Well, come on in you two. The girls are in the dining room going over plans for the wedding," smiled Esme as she led me towards the sounds of Rosalie and Alice discussing color schemes. Edward got lucky because he just had to go and sit in the living room and have a drink with the men. I shot Edward a glance that screamed '_help me_', but he just wandered away with a smile.

"It's about damned time you got here Bella," said Rosalie in frustration. "You're my maid of honor and I haven't even seen you since we picked the wedding date." _June 23__rd__._

"I know. I'm sorry life has been hectic since the incident last Sunday. It's all back to normal now," I sighed as I sat down and grabbed one of the three dozen bridal magazines spread on the table and started to flip through it uninterested.

"What happened last Sunday?" asked Alice curiously. I had gone to work all week, but I never once mentioned the incident with Seth to Alice. I pictured her sending me home because she thought it was such a traumatic incident, but I didn't see it that way. I still saw Seth as a helpless puppy that just needed to be steered to the right home. Any home but mine.

"What didn't happen," started Rosalie as she told Alice the entire story, including the part of me telling Seth and Edward that I was in love with Edward.

"Did he say he loves you back? Cause he totally loves you," laughed Alice as she picked up a swatch of fabric and handed it to Rosalie. "What do you think of this? It's chiffon."

"No, he hasn't said it yet," I said apprehensively.

"Why not? He's an idiot. I'm gonna go talk to him," shrieked Alice as she tried to walk away from the table but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back into the room.

"I know he loves me. I can tell. He's just not ready to say it. I honestly wouldn't have said it either if I hadn't thought it was the best way to get Seth out of my hallway last weekend." Alice just nodded her head and the conversation turned back to the wedding, thankfully.

The girls, including Esme, spent the next hour discussing the guest list, possible bands, flowers, dress styles, china patterns… basically anything and everything wedding related, and I sat there trying to figure out how to knock myself unconscious with the excessively large gravy boat in the middle of the table, without Alice stopping me. "Earth to Bella," said Alice a little while later. I just peered up at her and feigned interest.

"What do you think?" asked Rosalie.

"About what? Sorry, I was in my own little world for a moment," I lied. It had been more than a moment, but I didn't care. If I ever got married, I was going to city hall. All this stuff was a bit much for me right now. "I was thinking about how Britney Spears has been getting a bad rap lately," I joked as they both looked at me incredulously.

"You are so special Bella," laughed Alice as she showed me a book full of colored fabric swatches.

"Special, like 'stop eating the paste' special?" I asked curiously as Edward and Emmett joined us, catching the end of our conversation.

"You're more special than that Bella, your short bus special," laughed Emmett as Alice snapped her fingers at me in an attempt to get my attention.

"Bella, over here. Pick one of these shades of blue for your maid of honor dress," sighed Alice, clearly getting annoyed with me as she shoved the swatches in front of me again. There had to be at least 50 different shades of blue.

"Edward, which shade of blue do you like best?" I asked, as I tried to find the easiest way out of this conversation. He pointed to a light blue shade called 'cornflower'.

"Cornflower," I said happily. "Are we done for now?" I asked as I stood from the chair I had apparently been glued to since I walked in the door. I was about to grab Edward's hand and walk away when Esme appeared and let us all know that dinner was ready and we would need to clean off the table. Onto round two of tonight's torture, the main course. The conversation throughout the table was mainly wedding related, and when I glanced over at Edward, he was having a serious discussion with Jasper, who was throwing his arms up in frustration.

"Relax boys," said Carlisle as he too caught part of their conversation or argument, whatever it was. I looked up at Edward and he turned back towards me and stopped talking to Jasper. I slid my shoe off my foot and slid it up his leg, towards his inner thigh and he looked at me with a sly grin. I knew I could get him to talk about the Jasper situation on our way home, but at least now he seemed happier.

Dinner was not exactly the most delicious thing I had ever eaten. Apparently Esme had taken to trying a new recipe tonight that involved raisins, noodles and tuna. It was absolutely appalling and I could tell everyone else at the table thought so as well. I didn't say anything of course, because that would be rude, but when we left I was definitely making Edward pick me up a hamburger, some Chinese food or one of those big ass hoagies. Anything but this.

"So, Edward how is the novel going?" asked Carlisle when he noticed no one else was talking or eating.

"It's going well. I think I am almost done actually, it's been a lot easier to work lately," he said as he smiled brightly at me. Of course it had been easier to work; he had been making me stay at his place almost all week. While he typed away on his computer, I was usually watching old Gilmore Girl episodes on SoapNet. Not that I was complaining, that show had some fabulous one-liners, but it wasn't as much fun when he wasn't right beside me making snide comments like Rory and Lorelei did.

"That's great. What does your publisher think about it?"

"They're all very excited about it actually. I had to do a few re-writes on some items, but when I gave them the latest chapter on Monday, they were very positive about it. We'll have to see what happens when it is done I suppose." That was probably the most I had heard Edward talk about the book. He was like 'Fight Club' when it came to his book: _the first rule of Edward's novel is we don't talk about Edward's novel._ I didn't talk about it, and I didn't mind.

The conversation on the topic of Edward's novel ended there. Edward and I both knew Carlisle really wasn't that interested, but I will admit, he did an excellent job of faking it. The rest of the evening was uneventful and the conversation was sparse. When we finally left, Esme and Carlisle both gave me a tentative hug and told me they hoped I would come for Edward's next visit in a few weeks. I just nodded my head and tried to hide the growling in my stomach from avoiding dinner.

"Do you have any food in this car? A granola bar, a tic tac anything?"I begged when we finally got into the Volvo and were heading home.

"I think there might be something in the glove compartment, but I don't know how old it is. We'll be near some fast food restaurants soon. I thought I told you to eat something before we left," chided Edward.

"I thought you were kidding. The food was pretty good last time we visited."

"She had it catered," he laughed and I just waited patiently for my stomach to relax. No wonder no one else was looking as famished as me, everyone else had eaten. Lucky bastards.

**Edward POV**

It was almost one in the morning when we finally got back to my apartment, after stopping at McDonalds so that Bella could finally eat. She was exhausted when we finally got into the apartment, so I helped her get into bed and pulled her skirt free, letting her sleep in the rest of her outfit. I don't even think she noticed that I took the skirt off.

The next morning she woke me before she left to go to work. Since she had been spending so much time at my place lately, we had decided to leave some clothes in the closet for her in case she was running late and couldn't make it home to change. I gave her a quick kiss goodbye and she was out the door in a flash. I poured myself a cup of coffee and sat down at my trusty old desk chair to work on a new chapter of my story when my phone suddenly rang.

"Dude, what are you doing?" asked Emmett as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and tried to focus on my clock. Why was he calling me at ten after eight in the morning?

"It's a little early for you Emmett. What do you want?"

"I forgot to talk to you last night about something, and Rosalie is all over my ass to do it this morning before I leave for work," he muttered as I heard Rosalie yelling at him in the background.

"No, you cannot have a kidney," I said sarcastically. There was no response on the other end, so he clearly hadn't gotten the joke.

"Um… yeah. So anyways, I wanted to know if you would be my best man at the wedding."

"Do I have to do anything?" I asked curiously. I saw all the crap the girls had to do and if this was going to be time consuming, I might have to decline. Not really, but I could at least make Emmett think I wasn't interested.

" You have to plan a bachelor party, but knowing Rosalie she won't let me get strippers or anything like that so, you shouldn't have too much to do."

"Okay, count me in." I said. I wasn't overly enthusiastic about this, but since he was my older brother I would do this for him. Maybe one day he'd be doing it for me, I thought to myself. On a positive note, since Bella was the maid of honor, it just meant more time together doing wedding related stuff.

"Sweet, now Rosalie can leave me alone for a few days about this shit," he sighed before we finished our call and I turned back to my cup of coffee and empty computer screen. I texted Bella and let her know that Emmett finally asked me to be his best man. It was something we had both anticipated since the engagement became official and I had to laugh that it took him so long to ask me.

We made plans to meet at her place in time for dinner that night and I actually arrived before she did, so I sat in the Volvo and waited for her while listening to some disturbing local alternative music radio station. I had leaned my seat back slightly to relax when I felt a knock on my window. Ah, the world was right again, and there stood Bella.

"What's going on?" she asked as I opened the car and hopped out, pulling her in for a deep kiss.

"Nothing exciting, just waiting on you," I said as I shrugged my shoulders and followed her inside. "One of these days you should give me a key for this place, so I don't have to freeze my ass off in the car."

"Bitch, bitch, bitch," she laughed at me as we walked into the building and up to her apartment. "Would you like anything else Edward? A foot massage perhaps?"

"Actually that sounds kinda of good right about now. So, we never really got to talk about dinner last night since you were so busy complaining about not eating anything, it was better right?" I asked curiously. It hadn't seemed as horrible to me, but then again, I wasn't talking to Alice and Rosalie for an hour about the subtle differences between various types of lace.

"Well, the wedding talk bored me to death. Your mother tried to kill us all with her complete lack of cooking skills and your father feigned interest in your novel, but sure it was better," she said sarcastically as she tossed her purse and coat onto the nearest chair and pulled two beers from the fridge for us.

"My parents were nicer to you though, right?" Bella just nodded her head and gave me a tentative smile.

"Yeah, they were okay. I mean, they weren't exactly welcoming, but they didn't corner me in the kitchen and try to cut out my tongue, so that was nice. I have faith it will get better every time we visit. On a separate note, what went down with you and Jasper at the dinner table?" I knew she had seen our little altercation, but I really hoped she wouldn't mention it. Way to bring a dude down Bella.

"I just told him not to talk about you and me to anyone, especially Noah," I said as I tried to fight back my anger. "If it wasn't for Jasper opening his pie hole and telling Noah we weren't actually dating, then Seth never would have been here last weekend. I just think it's a common courtesy. I wouldn't walk around and tell random people I know about Alice and Jasper's relationship." Bella agreed with me and we pulled out a bunch of menus from the take out drawer and tried to decide what to order for dinner.

"Chinese? Chicken? Thai? We could always drive to Milwaukee for mediocre grilled cheese?" she joked as she took sip of her beer.

"Let's just order our usual from the Chinese place down the street. They're always fast and I am starving." Bella grabbed her phone and called in our order. It seemed so weird to me to always use the term 'our'. It was our usual dinner, and our order and our relationship. I liked it, but it was odd for someone who was always used to singular terms.

"So, how did the book go today? Did you get another chapter done?" she asked curiously once she was off the phone and sitting comfortably in the living room with me.

"Not quite. I kept getting interrupted. First by Emmett, then Alice, my publisher called and then I started watching an 'O.C.'marathon and I got completely distracted." I admitted reluctantly as she looked back at me with a furrow in her brow. "What? They were celebrating Chrismakkuah. How could I miss it?"

"Don't you have a deadline this week?"

"Yeah, on Friday. It's okay, I'll get it done Bella. Have I missed a deadline yet?" I smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Thanks for the concern, but it'll get done. Now let's move onto happier topics, like the unemployment rate or why Kim Kardashian is famous for having a sex tape and a fat ass," I said sarcastically, pilfering lines from one of Bella's favorite shows, 'the soup'.

"How about we talk about plans for this weekend, once your deadline is met?" she asked sweetly as she grabbed my hand and started to run her fingers along my palm.

"I thought we could either go to the docks and try to steal some plutonium that was being unloaded, or maybe you could fake a case of stigmata and we could walk around Grant Park scaring the hell out of people," I laughed.

"You do pay attention when I watch Gilmore girls," she said happily as she hugged me. I had actually only paid attention to that one episode, but Bella didn't need to know that.

"I think I have to go for a tuxedo fitting or something equally obtuse," I said, recalling the conversation I had with Alice earlier in the day. "You can come if you want; I look pretty damned sexy in a tux."

"I'm sure you do, but I know you look sexier out of one," she said as she kissed me gently on the neck. We spent the next twenty minutes making out on the couch. I felt like I was in high school and I was expecting one of my parents to show up and bust us up. I was about to suggest we move into the bedroom when there was a knock on the door. Bella pulled her shirt back over her head and let the delivery guy in. Cock blocked by Chinese food, that was definitely new.


	22. You Give Me Something

**A/N: Here's a little more fluff and lemony goodness for the masses. Dramarama takes over tomorrow! Over 200 reviews and 140 people who have me on alert. I love all of you ******** Lovebugkiss, that has been one of my favorite lines from Gilmore Girls for years. My husband hates that I quote them so often, but I'm Lorelei and my stepdaughter is Rory, so what can you expect? Anyways, enjoy the chappie and thanks mmwalker for all the awesome reviews. Happy Good Friday!**

**Bella POV**

Edward and I were uncomfortable. It was a sunny April afternoon and we were stuck inside the Cullen dining room with Esme, Carlisle, Emmett and Rosalie, for a food tasting for the wedding. It wasn't my idea of a fun afternoon, but at least Esme didn't cook anything, so I wouldn't be going home feeling like my stomach was trying to force its way out of my body. It was one in the afternoon and I was stuffed with so much food, I knew Edward and I probably wouldn't need to worry about dinner tonight.

"This is a stuffed chicken breast with spinach, asiago cheese draped in a sun-dried tomato sauce," announced Jean-Francois, the chef. I just nodded my head and took a bite because with his thick French accent I only understood _'chicken'_. I looked over at Edward and he was enjoying the food like I was, but he didn't want to be here either. We had made plans to go have a picnic down at Millennium Park, since it was such a nice day and then Rosalie called last night and insisted we come. Apparently Emmett was to have called us a few weeks ago to invite us, but completely forgot. So here we sit because we couldn't let our family down.

"I give it a 9," I said confidently after tasting the chicken and the garlic mashed potatoes that went along with it.

"What would make it a 10?" questioned Emmett. He had clearly loved the chicken. I expected him to pick up the plate and start licking it. Of course, if he did that Esme and Rosalie would both scream out in embarrassment.

"Umm… another point?" I said tentatively. It was good, but definitely not worthy of a 10. Edward laughed at my little joke and Emmett just looked confused.

Before the chicken they had brought out a mother lode of appetizers and salads and Rosalie wasn't pleased when I gave low scores to some of the food that she was favoring. I told her to ignore my scores then if it bothered her and she just rolled her eyes. Why was I here again? Oh yeah, the wedding. For the past month, Edward and I hadn't been able to spend nearly as much time together as we had hoped. We had to reschedule three different dates due to either work issues or wedding obligations. I had been in charge of finding a photographer, which in my opinion was one of the hardest things to be done. Then again, I was a wee bit particular as to who I wanted to work with. If I wasn't in the damned wedding party, I'd just do it myself.

Rosalie had dragged me to three bridal shows, two trips to the wedding cake designer without a single tasting, and one very long trip to register for gifts. This was the most fun though because we were each given a scanner to select the gifts and I think I went a little overboard. When Rosalie gets a ceramic German Shepherd umbrella stand as a gift, she will probably try to kill me, or at the very least throw it at my head.

"How's the search for a band going?" Edward asked Emmett curiously.

"It's not. Rosalie wants a string quartet and I want something a little more modern. She won't let me have a steel drum band even though we are going to Jamaica on our honeymoon." I laughed at the image of a steel drum band at their formal wedding.

"I heard a band a few weeks ago at some club I went to with James. They were surprisingly good, you should check them out. They fit somewhere in the middle of what you and Rosalie both want," he offered politely. When had he gone out with James? Why hadn't we talked about this? I tried not to dwell on it, but I knew it would definitely come up in conversation when we finally left.

"Are we almost done?" I whispered to Rosalie a little while later when we were between courses. "I think I need to call Alice and have her let my dress out two sizes," I joked, even though Rosalie didn't find it funny.

"All that's left are pastries, but if you are desperate to leave, go ahead. I think we can handle some lemon bars and brownies." I bent my head in defeat. The moment Edward heard the word 'brownie' his ears perked up and I knew we weren't going anywhere.

We stayed for almost another hour as Edward devoured the brownies that were served. I was done. If I ate another thing, Edward would be rolling me down the stairs to the Volvo and no one needed to see that. As we drove home a little while later, Edward started telling me about his club date with James. "I hope you're not pissed I didn't tell you about James," he said nervously.

"No, its fine," I lied.

"You were at some bridal show with Rosalie and I was bored so I went to the bar and James was getting off his shift and recommended the band, so we went. It was nothing exciting," explained Edward calmly. Of course my head was trying to analyze how he entered a bar and didn't get hit on by every single female in the room. I tried my best to ignore the nagging doubts I had because Edward had never once given me any reason to doubt him.

"So, we still have a few more hours left in the day; want to go to the record store?"

"Sure, we haven't been in a while," said Edward as we headed back towards my apartment instead of his. When we reached the record store, Luke was sitting in his usual seat, perched on a stool behind the cash register with his feet up. He had grown more accustomed to Edward in the past few months and didn't even give him a jealous stare today.

I went to scan through the vinyls and Edward wandered off towards the classical section. As per usual, once I had found a few records to listen to, I headed towards the listening booth and he followed. This time he would sit down first and I would sit comfortably on his lap and we would listen to the records together. Today we were listening to 'The Pretenders' and 'The Rolling Stones'.

"Did I ever tell you I first liked the pretenders when they were on an episode of 'Beverly Hills 90210'? Well not the band, they wouldn't do that, but one of their songs. Steve went to look for his real mom around Christmastime and they played '2000 Miles' and I was hooked," I admitted, feeling slightly ashamed that my guilty pleasure had created my obsession in Chrissie Hynde and her music.

"That's very … funny," remarked Edward as he kissed my neck. "And I thought nothing good ever came from 90210."

Luke used to always come over and knock on the door, interrupting us, but he finally realized it wasn't going to change, even though he eventually added a sign to the doors that said 'one person at a time.' Some days I almost expected to arrive and find a sign on the door that said 'no sex in the booth', but it never came. Plus anyone would could manage sex in one of these booths had to be a contortionist for the Cirque du Soliel, the booths were way too tiny for any serious fun.

When we were done, we started to walk down the street towards our bakery, but being that it was late in the afternoon, they were already closed. "What do you want to do now?" I asked in frustration since I couldn't get my coffee, which I desperately wanted.

"Plutonium raid at the docks?" joked Edward and I just laughed at him and we started walking back to my apartment hand in hand. The silence between us was comfortable, until Edward finally spoke. "I finished the novel." My hands released from his and I jumped up happily, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him in excitement.

"That's awesome. What did the publishers say?"

"It's in review right now, but my main contact at the company loves it. She anticipates giving me having a hardbound copy before the beginning of the summer."

"We should go out and celebrate," I said enthusiastically as I kissed him again, pleased that he had finished finally. "What would you like to do?"

"I don't want to eat anything, I couldn't fit anymore food in me if I tried," he laughed and grabbed his stomach.

"Well, this is your big achievement; we should do whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" he asked as he raised his eye brow at me curiously. I just nodded my head and he grabbed my hand tightly and we headed back to my apartment as quickly as we could without him carrying me over his shoulder like a cave man.

**Edward POV**

The moment Bella unlocked her apartment door, I slammed it shut and had her pinned up against it, pulling her jacket off and her shirt up and over her head. I actually thought of just pushing her onto the dining room table, but I wanted her so badly, so I wasn't taking the chance. She would probably veto that shit immediately because she loved that old table. As we kissed passionately, my tongue exploring every inch of her mouth, Bella was trying to slide her shoes off while also unbuckling my belt. We definitely were not going to make it into the bedroom, as I pulled her onto the floor of the living room with me.

I yanked my sweater off and hovered over her for a moment as she lay beneath me on her carpeted floor. I almost told her I loved her as I stared at her looking absolutely beautiful beneath me, but I couldn't do it. I really wanted to, but I couldn't. Instead, I pulled the straps off her bra off her shoulder and started to suck and bite her nipples gently as I tugged her jeans from her body.

I started to kiss my way across her chest, when I felt Bella's feet try to push my pants and boxers from me, so I let her, and before I knew it, I was naked in front of her. I felt the need to express my love to her again, but I couldn't get the words out. Why did I have to become a mute when it came to telling her something this important? She leaned up from the floor and started to kiss my chest and run her fingers down my back, as I moaned loudly. She pushed me back onto the floor and decided to hover over me. She stopped, just like I did a few minutes ago when I contemplated telling her I loved her, but she said nothing. I already knew she was in love with me. I had known this for over a month already, I was a shitty boyfriend for not telling her by now.

As I was thinking hard about my feelings for her, I hadn't even noticed that Bella had licked her way down my stomach, until I suddenly felt her hot mouth wrapped around my shaft. "Fuck," I yelled out in surprise as she expertly moved her lips and tongue all over me. It was definitely not the right time to tell her as she sucked on my cock. Where was the manual for confessing your love? Did I skip out the day they handed it out?

I threw my head back slowly and tried to focus on the pleasure Bella was giving me, but the nagging voice in the back of my head kept telling me that I should have told her already that I was madly in love with her. Why couldn't I just focus on the sex and not the love right now? I shook my head in frustration and did my best to focus on Bella sliding her lips up and down on me. She ran her teeth gently along me, and I shuddered in pleasure. The moment she pulled from me for a quick moment, I grabbed her and lifted her onto the couch. I was knelt before her and practically ripped her panties from her as I enthusiastically ran my tongue along her wetness. I felt her fingers reach up into my hair as I began kissing her thighs tenderly and my finger slowly slid inside of her. She bent her head back slowly at the feel of my fingers and groaned in anticipation. She looked so beautiful, I almost thought of telling her again, but I didn't. I darted my tongue between her wet lips and began encircling her clit, trying to make her feel half as good as she made me feel all the time.

Several minutes later, she was panting heavily and moaning something I couldn't quite understand. I leaned back from her and she took her foot and kicked me gently in the shoulder, pushing me onto the ground. Before I could say anything, Bella was on top of me and I was buried deep inside of her, but I didn't want her on top of me. I wanted her beside me, always. Fuck, why couldn't I stop over analyzing myself? I sat up slightly, keeping myself inside her of her and I wrapped my arms around her waist and buried my face in her neck and started nibbling on her ear gently. I thrust myself in and out of her at a steady pace and kept her as close to my body as possible.

Bella arched her back in pleasure and leaned back against the couch as she came down hard on me, and I released inside of her. I pulled her back to me and hugged her even tighter than before. "Thank you," I whispered gently into her neck as she laid her head on my shoulder and ran her fingers through my hair.

"For what?" she asked with a chuckle.

"For loving me," I said happily. She pulled back and looked at me in anticipation. She thought I was going to say I loved her, and I did, with every fiber of my being I loved this girl, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out. She resigned herself to fact that I wasn't going to say anything else and laid her head back down on my shoulder. We stayed wrapped in each other's arms on the living room floor for a little while. I was getting slightly cold, but I didn't care. If I couldn't say I loved her, I could at least try to show her.

"I'm getting hungry," said Bella as she pulled back from me slightly.

"You are kidding right? We just ate enough food for a small African country for a year, and you are hungry?" I laughed as she stood up from our position and wandered into the kitchen. "You look so sexy," I remarked casually as I watched her naked form search through the cupboards for food. She came back into the living room carrying a box of Lucky Charms and dug her hands deep inside for a big handful of cereal and marshmallows.

"So, how was that for a celebration?" she winked at me.

"It was okay," I said sarcastically.

"You seemed to be thinking quiet hard, especially when I was going down on you," she asked nervously. _Shit, she had caught that._

"I was just enjoying myself," I lied. I hated lying to her. It reminded me of when I was about eight years old and I broke an antique vase of Esme's and I blamed Emmett. She forgave him easily, but I knew she wouldn't if I had told her. Maybe I'm worried that if I tell Bella I love her, she won't forgive me for waiting so long. But it wasn't really that long. Some people wait years to say they love someone. I've known her for almost seven months. I wanted to ask her to have my kids on the first night we met, but now I couldn't get up the nerve to tell her I love her.

"You're doing it again," remarked Bella as she helped herself to more cereal.

"Sorry. You should distract me then," I said with a chuckle and a big smile.

"There's an 'O.C.' marathon on SoapNet. We can always spend a few hours making fun of Ryan's brooding or Seth's awkwardness. Doesn't that usually make you feel better?"

"You know me too well Bella," I laughed as she grabbed the remote and turned on the TV to the 'O.C.' "And since when did you suddenly start watching so much SoapNet?"

"When I realized how awesome their programming is. I can see 'Gilmore girls', 'The O.C'. and really old 90210 episodes all in one afternoon. What's not to like?" She said in all seriousness as she put the box of cereal on the floor and cuddled up next to me. I grabbed a blanket and pulled it over us and we held tightly to each other on her living room floor, watching Seth discuss Death Cab for Cutie with his friends. No wonder I liked Seth Cohen.


	23. Broken Strings

**A/N: Okay, it's time for everyone to hate me. Dramarama time! Please don't hate me too much, this is something I had planned for a while, but just remember that I am a big fan of 'Happily Ever After' **

**Some people commented on the lack of condom in the last chapter, so just realize I am not planning a pregnancy in the story. Let's just all assume some other form of birth control was used and move on? Good idea, coldplaywhore! Why thank you!**

**And lovebugkiss, I'm glad you caught my paste reference. I like you more everyday! Happy Easter or Passover to all my lovely readers.**

**Bella POV**

One month to go… thank god. I was starting to get tired of all the wedding talk, particularly when Rosalie would call me about some massive disaster that turned out to be something like not being able to find the perfect first dance song. This was not a disaster. A catastrophe would be a tornado touching down in the church or her reception site being burned to the ground. When she called with one of these situations, then I would worry.

"Rosalie, you have a month to figure it out. Why don't you use Billy Idol's 'White Wedding'?" I asked sarcastically. Edward rolled over in bed and just laughed at me as he heard Rosalie screaming at me through the phone. "This isn't funny. It's 2 o'clock in the morning," I said as I covered the receiver on the phone so Rose couldn't hear us. Suddenly Edward took the phone from me and started to talk to Rosalie.

"I will bring you a CD on Monday of the best possible songs for you and Emmett, if you promise never to call us again," he said sweetly. It actually calmed her down because she now trusted his taste in music since the band he suggested to Emmett wasn't half bad and they had agreed to perform at the reception. He talked to her for another moment and hung up the phone. "You know, if you aggravate her, she'll never hang up the phone. It's like poking a bear with a stick, you'll just regret it." He laughed as he pulled me into his arms and we fell back asleep almost immediately, after I turned the ringer off on my phone.

The next morning we enjoyed a quiet breakfast and made plans to have dinner later that night at my apartment. I ran off to the office quickly, hoping to finish everything I had planned to do and get home early to plan something special for Edward. When I got into the office, Alice immediately called me in to her office to have me give my opinions on some of the lingerie sketches she had been working on. She had been busy with a few other collections, but kept telling me that she loved the lingerie concept and had been working on it during her free time.

"So, what do you think?" she finally asked nervously after I had reviewed over a dozen sketches she had completed.

"They look awesome and very much your style. They scream confidence and sex, where are my free samples? Your brother would love them," I laughed as I winked at her and she began to shudder.

"I know we're twins and all, but there are just some things I don't need to know about you two. How are things going anyways? Isn't this like month number four?" She asked curiously as she put all her sketches away and sat back down at her desk, facing me.

"Is this an interrogation?" I asked curiously. "Yeah, it's been four months. Things are good and I can't complain."

"Has he said it yet huh?"

"No," I said feeling slightly resigned to the fact that he wasn't ready to tell me yet even though it had been almost three months since I told him.

"I have no idea what the fuck his problem is. He's been in love with you since the day after your one night stand and he called me begging for your phone number. It's ridiculous, he's never been remotely interested in any girl as he is in you, and he's just being a complete moron," said Alice in frustration. "Even Rosalie and Emmett are shocked he hasn't said anything."

"So, do you guys like sit around playing Parcheesi and discussing my romantic life all the time?" I asked sarcastically.

"We're just looking out for you guys. We all have a vested interest in this relationship. Imagine what would happen for Rose and Emmett if you spilt? Whose side would they take? What about me? You're an awesome friend and photographer, I don't want the ruin the good thing we have going, but you know I would have to stick with my brother right?" I just nodded my head and tried to calm her fears.

"It's okay Alice, really. We're doing really good; I don't want to mess anything up by yelling at him for not confessing his love for me. He'll do it when he's ready." Everyone seemed so certain he was in love with me, and when we spent time together, it showed in his eyes and all his actions, but if he wasn't ready, I could wait. I would wait. Alice and I chatted happily for a little while longer, specifically about the wedding and when she got an important call, I was finally able to run off to my office and finish all the work I needed to get done. It was almost four when I left for the day. Not as early as I expected, but then again, I did get cornered into two more long conversations with Alice and Angela came in with a ton of questions regarding the upcoming shoot in New York.

Before I left the office, I called down to the bakery we frequented by the apartment and ordered a tray of Edward's favorite brownies for after dinner. Kim, the main cashier who had been serving me since I started going there told me it would be ready in about half an hour, so I gathered up all my things I needed to work from home on the weekend and hopped on the train to head home.

I was smiling from ear to ear as I walked along the street towards the bakery to pick up my order. My head had been filled with thoughts of Edward and me when I turned the corner and went to enter the café. Before I could open the door though, I saw Edward sitting at our corner table. I instantly thought that maybe Kim had called him to pick up dessert since I was running a little bit late, but I quickly noticed that he wasn't alone. I stood carefully on the side of the old brick building and watched him talking intensely with a fairly tall, young looking blonde woman. She was attractive in her own right, but I didn't really see her as someone Edward would be interested in.

I couldn't look away from the scene playing out in front of me; it was like a car accident and I felt compelled to stare at it. I felt bad for spying on him until I saw him reach his hand out towards her and I immediately thought my heart was going to break in two. I thought about bursting in the bakery and confronting him, but I was frozen to my spot on the sidewalk. I continued to watch as he stood up and gave her a big hug and kiss. It was at that moment that my feet finally decided they were able to move and I ran clumsily away from the bakery, with tears streaming down my cheeks. I finally stopped a few blocks away because I had to catch my breath. Crying and running were definitely not helping the breathing situation, and I needed to breathe to live even though I felt like I had just died inside. I felt exactly the same I had the day that I found Seth in bed with Carly. I felt destroyed. I slid down the wall I was leaning against and reached into my laptop bag and called Rosalie quickly.

"Can I stay with you for a few days?" I asked through my tears. I had tried to compose myself before I called her, but the moment I spoke, all my hard work fell to the wayside.

"What's wrong?" she pleaded with me as I kept sobbing and sounded even more breathless. "Are you hurt?"

"No, not physically. I just need to stay with you. Please don't tell anyone though, okay?" I asked, practically begging her. She offered to come and pick me up but I informed her I was near a train station anyways, so I would just hop on the next one and head out to her place. She finally agreed and said she would walk over and meet me at the station when I arrived. I said nothing, but felt slightly relieved that I would see a friendly face soon.

It was almost forty minutes later when I got off the train and saw Rosalie pacing along the platform looking for me. "You look like shit Bella," she said to me as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder and led me down the stairs and towards her house.

"Well, we can't all look like stunning supermodels can we?" I laughed tentatively as a few more tears fell from my face.

"I bet everyone on the train was scared you would just haul off and kill them all," joked Rosalie.

"Well, they did kind of keep their distance from me. Then again, I was sobbing for the first twenty minutes, so what do you expect?" I said with an uncertain smile.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I want tequila and lots of it."

**Edward POV**

When Bella left for work, I started to head home but got a call from my publisher, Olivia. She had just received the first copy of my book from the printers and wanted to bring me a copy. I eagerly set up a meeting with her for later in the afternoon because I had to work on a shitty ass wedding music CD for Rosalie and Emmett that I had promised to bring them by Monday. We agreed to meet at the bakery down by Bella's apartment just after four thirty. Bella and I had made plans to meet at her place around five, so it worked out perfectly for me. I'd pick up the novel, go to Bella's for dinner and then give her the book, which held a little surprise for her.

I was beyond excited to get a copy of my book, specifically so I could give it to Bella. I had labored for years on my novel, and then she entered my life and I suddenly couldn't stop writing. I had it done in almost four months and already had my first copy from my publisher, it was one of the most thrilling moments of my life. After I had given Olivia the revised draft of my novel, she started to ask me if I had any ideas for the dedication, and I honestly had never given it any thought up until she mentioned it. Of course, I could only think of one person I wanted to mention, Bella.

I spent the next few weeks trying to determine the best possible thing to say in the dedication, but nothing seemed right. I couldn't just write 'I love you' I needed there to be something more prophetic, something more _us_. I finally decided on a quote from the Edith Piaf song 'la vie en rose' after recalling our first Sunday together back in January. It was perfect, and she would know I loved her. I might even get up the balls to actually tell her in words when I showed her the book.

And now here I sat in the bakery, recalling our first time visiting together where we drank coffee, ate warm cinnamon buns and had a long discussion regarding our three favorite books. I had only been waiting for a few moments when Olivia finally showed up.

"Edward, nice to see you again," she greeted me warmly and sat down across from me. We had met several times a month for the past few months, and she was always so formal. She definitely took her job very seriously, and I never once even got the chance to joke with her. "So, everyone at the company is so excited about the book. They are hoping to schedule the actual release in early September with a book tour to last a few weeks. I trust this is fine with you?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, definitely. I have no major plans after June 23rd, so I'll make sure to keep my schedule clear," I replied casually. Even as I spoke about the wedding, I couldn't believe there were only a few weeks left. The past few months had flown by so quickly, I figured the summer would move by just as quickly and before I knew it, the book would be released.

"That's great. I'll let publicity know that you are free and I'm sure Lana from PR will call you in a few weeks to discuss some issues and let you know of the schedule." Olivia reached down and brought her briefcase onto the table quickly and pulled out the book. Seeing it in her hands was very surreal. I glanced down at it and I just thought about all the hard work, sweat and love that had gone into it. My very first novel, inspired by my very first love. I reached over and gently took it from her hands, taking a moment to admire it. Even as I held it in my hands, I couldn't believe it.

"Are you okay?" asked Olivia tentatively. She was actually showing some emotion towards me, so much for my theory of her being a robot for the corporation. I often joked to myself that if you could open her up she would be filled with wires and computer parts.

"Yeah," I said feeling slightly bashful. "This book has been such a major part of my last few months; it's weird to be holding it." Olivia then did something that could only be described as completely out of character for her. She stood up and offered me a hug, and for some reason, I took it and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Without Olivia, none of this would have been possible, and I would be grateful to her for forever. Suddenly I was awoken from my revelry.

"Edward, Bella ordered these brownies and was supposed to have picked them up already, can you take them," asked Kim from behind the counter. I turned to look up at her, and suddenly I saw Bella out of the corner of my eye. She had been standing outside by the corner of the building and had seen me with Olivia. Of course, how much she had actually seen, I didn't know. Bella turned and started running towards her apartment, so I grabbed the book and the brownies, throwing a fifty dollar bill on the counter for Kim and ran out after her. The moment I stepped out on to the sidewalk in front of the bakery, she was nowhere to be found.

I threw everything into the passenger seat of my car and high-tailed it over to her apartment, expecting to pass her on the way, but I never saw her. I knew I had to have arrived before her because she definitely didn't run as fast as my car, so I sat down on the stoop of her building, waiting for her to show up. I glanced down at my cell phone and the time read 4:51pm.

As I sat and waited, the daylight slowly disappeared. People kept offering to let me in the building, since they had seen me around a lot in the past few months, but I stayed seated on the hard concrete. She would be home any second now, I convinced myself. Then I looked at my cell phone again, it was now 10:22pm. I had been waiting for her, with my novel and the brownies, for almost six hours. I was petrified, so I did the only thing I could. I called Rosalie.

"Hello," answered Emmett in a gruff sounding voice.

"Emmett, is Rosalie around?" I asked nervously.

"No."

"Well then, have you heard from Bella?"

"Yes."

"What the fuck is going on Emmett?" I asked angrily. He was not giving me any sort of information, and I was beyond angry. I had visions running through my head of Bella being hit by a car during her run back to the apartment and she was lying in a hospital bed somewhere.

"You fucked up, that's what's going on. I don't want to get in the middle of this shit, so I'm just going to say that you screwed the pooch on this one, literally apparently. When Bella is ready to talk to you, I'm sure she'll call, but don't wait around by the phone," snapped Emmett before he hung up on me. _What the fuck?_

I got out of the cold spring air and went to sit in my car, trying to calm myself down. What on earth could have happened to make Bella react the way she did? I leaned back and tried to think of everything that had occurred in the past few hours. I drove back to the bakery and stood where Bella had been when I noticed her. I looked into the darkened restaurant and realized that she didn't have a particularly good view from where she was standing. In fact, most of the table was hidden, except for where Olivia and I had been sitting. The scenes ran through my mind of me extending my hand out to Olivia, and hugging her and kissing her on the cheek. From Bella's vantage point, it could be completely misconstrued in a completely non-business like way. She would only see the movements, not the briefcase on the table or the book beside it. She had never met Olivia, and had no idea I had even planned to meet her today.

Bella had seen what looked to her like a date, and it was farthest from the truth. The more I thought about it, the worse it looked. I had been reluctant to tell Bella how I felt about her, and she was now probably imagining that it was because I was seeing someone else on the side. Bella could also now presume that all my business meetings were actually dates as well. For all I knew, she was probably thinking that the twenty pages of my book were written about this other, non-existent woman in my life. I sat down on the ground in front of the bakery and pulled my phone out of my pocket to call Bella. Her cell phone was off. I tried to call Emmett and it went straight to voicemail. Then I tried to call Alice and thankfully, she answered.

"What?" she asked angrily. I could hear loud music in the background and assumed she was at some sort of bar.

"I need your help," I replied remorsefully. There was silence from her but there were other voices in the background. "Is that Bella?"

"Edward, what do you want?"

"I need to talk to her. She didn't see what she thinks she did," I replied sadly. These phone calls were getting me nowhere fast. "Where are you? I want to come and talk to her."

"I'm not telling you, she would probably kick me in the teeth if I did. Just give it a few days, I'm sure she'll eventually talk to you," said Alice.

"Not fucking likely," screamed the drunken voice behind her that I instantly knew was Bella's.

"Is she okay?" I asked, as tears started to fall. I was still sitting on the ground and people were walking by staring at me as I had my breakdown on the sidewalk, but I didn't care. I buried my head in my hands as the next words rang from her voice.

"No Edward, she's not okay."


	24. Scared

**A/N: I got two hours of quiet today as I dog sat, so here's a new chapter. I hope you all enjoy, I may get another chapter up tonight, but don't hate me if it doesn't happen. **

**Bella POV**

"Alice, can I have the phone please?" I asked angrily as she explained to Edward that I wasn't doing well. She didn't want to give it to me, but I grabbed it from her ear without permission and turned it off. "Much better," I sighed drunkenly as I took another shot of tequila and grabbed my lemon for support.

"So, are you going to tell us what happened Bella?" said Alice as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, clearly upset that I had hung up on Edward. Once Rosalie had picked me up at the train station, we went to her house for an hour or so and I sobbed on her couch while she talked to Emmett quietly. I hadn't been able to tell her what I had seen, but I managed to force out a few words including 'Edward', 'cheating' and 'brownies'. She was beyond confused.

She called up Alice and had her meet us at the bar a few blocks down the street from Rosalie and Emmett's place. She was hesitant because she didn't want to pick sides in our break up. We had even discussed it earlier that day in her office. As much as Alice loved me, she was loyal to her brother, and I didn't blame her. Rosalie convinced her that I just needed a girls night out, and Alice finally relented. So here we sat, with all of our cell phones finally turned off, doing shots of Patron while listening to some bitch absolutely butcher "Barracuda" by Heart.

"I used to like this song," I snapped angrily as I tried to drown out the sounds from the stage. "Why did we come here on Karaoke night?"

"For the tenth time Bella, I didn't know it was Karaoke night. It is however, half off shot night, so just enjoy it," replied Rosalie with a small laugh.

"Come on Bella, we're here for you. Just tell us so we can all move on and start focusing on me and my wedding again," joked Alice as she offered up a tentative hug, which I took reluctantly.

I finally just sucked it up and started talking; the tequila definitely helped me to open up. "I ordered brownies from the bakery and I went to pick them up," I started casually, although I seemed to be talking a bit fast. Probably an effect of the tequila. "I was about to walk in when I saw Edward sitting at our usual table with some blonde woman."

"Okay, so he was talking to a blonde girl. I'm sure it was harmless," added Alice. I knew she wanted everything to work out between us, but at this point, I had no idea how that was going to happen.

"Can I finish? Why don't we keep all of our questions to the end?" I snapped as Alice and Rosalie both nodded their heads in agreement because they were desperate to hear the story.

"It looked like a lot more than talking. He reached his hands out to her, hugged her and kissed her. I thought I was going to throw up on the sidewalk as I watched it all go down. Instead of confronting him, I ran away, just like I did when I saw Seth with Carly almost a year ago." I bent my head in disappointment. After all my time with Edward, I now felt like I couldn't trust him. I was putting him in the same category as Seth, and that wasn't completely fair, even if it was true.

"Hold the phone," said Rosalie as I glared at her. "Edward is definitely not Seth. Seth is a liar, a druggie, a whore and a complete asshole. Edward is the complete opposite, there must be some explanation."

"Are you taking his side, Rosalie?" I asked as I raised my eye brow and continued to glare at her.

"I didn't say that Bella, I'm just trying to understand everything, and you can't put Edward and Seth in the same group of shitty men. That's like saying Jimmy Choo's are as good as Keds. Edward is definitely Jimmy Choo."

"Stop with the fashion rhetoric. I know what I saw, and Edward was at our bakery, with some blonde and he was holding hands, hugging and kissing her. In my mind, he might as well as have been fucking her on the table," I said loud enough for the people at the next table to hear. "Anyways, the moment I saw him with her, everything started to make sense to me. It was like I had my own little relationship epiphany. Edward never told me he loved me, because he didn't. If he loved me, he wouldn't cheat on me. He kept claiming to have all sorts of meetings with his publisher, but I'm sure those were just rendezvous' with the blonde bitch."

Alice just rolled her eyes and stood up from the table. "Well, this has been a nice night, but I'm heading out."

"Alice, please stay," begged Rosalie as I took another shot. I think this was number seven in the shot count.

"No. I'm taking sides, and I'm picking Edwards. Sorry Bella. I know my brother and I know he is madly in love with you. He's been in love with you since he first fucking met you Bella. I can't listen to this story because I don't believe it. I'm sure once you have heard Edward's side of the story; you'll agree that this was all a big misunderstanding." Alice grabbed her coat and was about to walk away from the table when she stopped and glanced at Rosalie. "Rose honey, Edward isn't Jimmy Choo. He's Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin combined."

Rose looked at me a bit remorsefully as I handed her another drink. "What? Don't tell me you are taking his side too?" I asked curiously.

"Bella, we haven't even heard his side. What if it really is a misunderstanding?"

"There aren't many ways to misunderstand what I saw today. Don't you remember how crushed I was when I found out Seth cheated on me? Do you really think I would stand by and let it happen again?" I sighed as Rosalie pulled me towards her and gave me a big hug.

"You're right Bella. If anyone would know about cheating boyfriends, it would be you. I'm on your side, until I've heard both sides and I am able to make an informed decision," she joked as she grabbed my hand. "You are way too shit faced to keep drinking, so we're heading home. Emmett made up the guest room for you for tonight, and tomorrow we can discuss what to do next." She offered sweetly as we stood from the table and she had to help me put on my coat.

As we wandered back to their house through the dark Chicago streets, I could tell Rosalie was doing her best to be supportive. She started talking about wedding stuff, hoping to make me think of something other than Edward. Unfortunately for her, even though I never told her, talking about the wedding made me think of him more. I wondered what music he would put on the mix CD for Rosalie and Emmett so that they could pick a first dance song. I thought about his next tuxedo fitting and how he was dreading it, and I thought about the speech he had been working on since Emmett first asked him to be his best man. He kept it in a notebook in the top drawer of my bedside table and would work on it when we lay in bed together. I would have to give him the notebook back, or at least give it to Emmett to give back to him.

"Welcome Home ladies," called Emmett when I finally stumbled in the door, with Rosalie holding me up somewhat. Emmett and Rose shot each other knowing glances and he quickly picked me up and carried me up to their spare room. I felt like a baby, and the moment he closed the door behind him after laying me on the bed, I started to cry like one, eventually falling asleep still clad in my coat and shoes.

The next morning, I went to head downstairs to fix myself a cup of coffee and I could hear Emmett and Rosalie in the kitchen. I sat down on the stairs and listened carefully, as Emmett and Rosalie argued. They hadn't even had anything close to a fight since the night they had told his parents that they had gotten married in Vegas, and I felt bad because I had clearly been the cause of this fight.

"I can't pick her side, Rosalie, so don't make me," sighed Emmett. "He's my brother, my flesh and blood, and you know I don't think he did this."

"I never asked you to pick sides, I just want you to be somewhat understanding. She's my best friend in the whole world; I can't just tell her she is being ridiculous. I'm on team Bella until I've heard what Edward has to say. Everyone is taking his side, but no one has even his point of view. What if he really is cheating on her?" asked Rosalie as I decided to make my presence known and stop listening to them.

"Good Morning," I said nervously as I walked into the kitchen and grabbed the carafe of coffee from the counter. I reached into the cupboard to grab a mug for my coffee when Rosalie looked at me, clearly aggravated.

"Were you eavesdropping?" she asked angrily, with her hands on her hips. Rosalie clearly meant business.

"I ain't been dropping no eaves, honest," I joked, stealing a line from 'The Lord of The Rings'. Rosalie just shook her head at me in frustration. "No," I lied. "I'm gonna head home in a few minutes, I just need a caffeine fix, and maybe a big glass of water, and maybe a few Advil." Emmett didn't say anything to me while I remained at their house. Once I had my coffee poured, he told Rosalie he had a meeting to get to and would be back in a few hours.

"Oh and Rosalie, just cause I'm going to a meeting doesn't mean I'm cheating on you," he remarked bitterly as he grabbed his jacket and keys and left the house. _Fucking prick_, I thought to myself. I wasn't going to tell Rosalie what I currently thought of her husband, but my expression must have given me away.

"He's neutral on the topic," she lied horribly.

"He's so not neutral. He's North Korea. I know he's siding with Edward, and that's fine. I didn't expect his support, just yours. So, any major plans today?" I asked as I finally gathered my laptop bag and coat and stepped out onto the porch.

"I have a meeting with the florist. You're welcome to come if you want," she asked, trying once again to take my mind off of Edward.

"Nah, you go and do your thing. I want to get home and clean up a bit. I haven't had a chance to really spend too much time at our old place or enjoy a nice quiet weekend, so I think I'll do that," I said lying through my teeth. I'd probably spend all my time filling a big garbage bag with everything that reminded me of Edward.

"Call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Will do," I lied again as I walked down her stairs and off towards the train station. I grabbed my cell phone from my laptop bag and checked my messages. Seven unread messages. All from Edward. I deleted every single one of them before listening to them and turned the phone off, shoving it back into the bag. I needed some peace and quiet today.

**Edward POV**

It was Sunday morning and I hadn't heard from Bella since Friday morning when she left for work. I had left her a total of 18 messages in the past two days, but she never returned a single one of my calls. I was screening my own calls and didn't answer the phone unless it was Bella. I ended up never answering my phone even though Emmett and Alice had called four times each. I just ignored them. I listened to the latest message from Alice threatening that if I didn't call her by 10 on Sunday morning she would be coming over and it wouldn't be pleasant. I didn't care. Nothing in my life was pleasant right now. I finally got home on Friday night after midnight and laid down on my bed, clutching one of her t-shirts for comfort and fell asleep at around 5 in the morning. When I woke up, I thought that the night before had been a dream, but when I reached out and she wasn't in bed beside me, every little thing hit me again like a ton of bricks. I was thinking again about the entire situation when Alice suddenly burst into my apartment angrily.

"You should have returned my phone calls. You had me thinking I would walk in here and find you dead or something else absolutely asinine," she yelled as she slammed the door behind her.

"Nice to see you too. How did you even get in here?" I screamed back at her.

"Uh, hello! You told me a few years ago where you hid the spare key. Did you think I wouldn't remember it?" I watched as Alice threw her coat and purse onto my kitchen counter and came over to sit beside me on the couch. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm watching a Gilmore Girls marathon and eating Lucky Charms from the box, what does it look like I'm doing?" I snapped back at her sarcastically.

"You cheat on Bella and suddenly you become a gay slob?" she asked with a laugh.

"I DID NOT FUCKING CHEAT ON BELLA," I yelled as I stood up from the couch and threw the almost full box of cereal across the room.

"Then tell me what happened," she pleaded. "How can I help make anything right again if I don't know what happened?"

I sat back down beside her and tried to calm down. The notion that everyone thought I had cheated on her seemed absolutely ridiculous to me. "Do you think I cheated?" I asked Alice curiously.

"No, I don't. Emmett doesn't either." Well I'm glad I had my family supporting me. Now if I could only get Bella to believe me.

"I was at the bakery meeting my publisher Olivia. She gave me a copy of my book," I said remorsefully. What had been a groundbreaking moment in my career ended up being a shattering moment for my relationship, and I was having trouble appreciating my novel anymore. I just pointed to it on the coffee table and watched as Alice picked it up and fingered the pages respectfully.

"That's awesome Edward, I'm very proud of you," she said as she hugged me, still holding the book.

"I was getting emotional at the bakery because the book was finally published. The book that was inspired completely by Bella. The book that I had dedicated to her." I dropped my head to my hands and thought I was going to start crying again. I felt Alice's hand on my back, rubbing it gently to calm me down. "I was going to give Bella the book on Friday and tell her I loved her, but she found me at the bakery and assumed the worst."

I watched closely as Alice opened up the book and looked at the dedication. I had finally decided on some lyrics from 'la vie en rose', followed by 'I love you Bella'. It was short and sweet, but I knew it would have meant the world to her, because it meant so much to me. Alice just looked at me and started to cry.

"She's an idiot."

"No, she isn't. She's just been hurt and she couldn't be bothered to ask me the truth, so here we sit, alone," I said sadly.

"What are you going to do?" asked Alice curiously as she grabbed the box of Lucky Charms from the other side of the room and sat back on the couch with me, grabbing a big handful and settling in to watch Gilmore Girls with me.

"I have no idea. She won't answer my calls. I doubt she wants to see me, but we have all this damned wedding stuff to do." I said, quickly remembering my notebook with my speech was at Bella's apartment.

"Can you call her and have her bring you my notebook. She'll know what you mean. It's got my speech for Em's wedding in it,' I asked politely.

"Sure, I'll call her later and ask her to bring it to work tomorrow. Do you need it right away? I can drop it off tomorrow night on my way to a show with Jasper?" I just shook my head and let her know that whenever she gets time would be great.

"Just don't let it be the day before the wedding," I laughed quietly. It was the first time I had laughed in days. Well, I had laughed briefly at Gilmore Girls earlier in the morning, but that was strictly involuntary. Lorelei made a comment that sounded exactly like Bella, and I laughed quickly and then started to cry a bit.

"Everything will work out, I promise," said Alice as she gave me a gentle hug before she went to leave a few hours later. "I'll knock some sense into her, but can I suggest you go take a shower and enter the land of the living again. If you are going to win her back, it won't be by lounging on the couch eating cereal."

"I'll figure something out Alice. I'm not going to lose her because of this," I said as she stepped out into the hallway to leave. "Thanks for listening."

"Anytime. We are twins; I know just what you need."

"And what do I need now Alice?" I joked happily.

"You need me to help you," she laughed as she headed down the hallway. Boy, I certainly needed her help more than ever now.

**A/N: you may need to refer back to Chapter 3, Gone Baby Gone, to get the twin joke listed above. I promise they won't be broken apart for too long. Just long enough for Bella to realize she's an idiot and Edward isn't Seth!**


	25. Realizations

**A/N: This chapter is short and sweet. Bella finally comes to her senses. Enjoy! I doubt I will get much done tomorrow thanks to the Easter egg hunt I'm holding, but I hope everyone has a great Easter. This is an all Bella POV, and you'll know why at the end.**

**Bella POV**

"Here," I said unhappily as I walked into Alice's office on Monday morning carrying a box of Edward's belongings that were left in my apartment. There were t-shirts, boxer shorts, his 'fight club' book, some CD's and DVD's and a couple of pictures. His notebook with his wedding speech was right on top. I kept his boxers and the t-shirt which I stole the very first night I met him last October.

"Thanks, I think," replied Alice as she took the box from me and put in the corner of her office. She glared at it for a moment before returning her eyes to me and trying to talk to me. "Do you want to talk about it now?"

"Not really," I said as I turned on my heel and headed back to my office to get my work completed. I hated treating Alice the way I was, but I knew it was short-term. I would get over Edward and move on. Alice and I could go back to being the best of friends. I spent the rest of my morning buried in photos and layouts before Alice came in with some sushi for lunch.

"Comfort food," she said as she sat happily in the seat across from me and opened up her lunch. "Angela ordered us some sushi, and I got you a few California rolls because I knew you would need to eat at some point today. Rosalie told me you hadn't eaten a lot over the weekend" I just nodded my head and sat down to try to enjoy what she had brought with her, and probably endure some awkward conversations. "I saw Edward yesterday."

I was not in the mood to discuss him; then again, I wasn't in the mood to discuss much. I had kept my office locked for most of the morning, and finally opened it when Logan came in begging for some help only a few minutes before Alice arrived. "That's nice," I replied hastily, trying not to sound interested at all, even though I was slightly curious as to how he was doing.

"I'm officially on his side of things, by the way. He told me what happened and I think you have completely jumped to conclusions about everything. He's pretty torn up about it all. When I went to his apartment and saw him yesterday he was sitting in his boxers watching a Gilmore Girls marathon and eating Lucky Charms from the box." I cracked a slight smile at the image, but went back to being completely irritated with Alice. "It's actually not a bad show," she laughed gently and smiled at me. She was trying to break the obvious tension she had created when she mentioned him.

"That's his prerogative. Shouldn't he be out with his new girlfriend anyways?" I snapped angrily. Just the mere thought of him with someone else made me completely livid. I had spent all weekend trying to block these thoughts from my mind, and now the image of the blonde and him at our bakery was brought back full force to my memory.

"There is no new girlfriend Bella. What happens when you realize that you were wrong and he's moved on? What will you do then?" asked Alice completely aggravated. I had no response for her. We sat in silence for a little while and ate our lunch. When she was done, she stood from the chair and headed back to her office, not even acknowledging me or waiting for a thank you from me for bringing me something to eat.

I had no answer because I didn't think I was in the wrong. Alice sounded really confident that I was wrong, not Edward. I had no proof of this though, but I suddenly began questioning myself and my motives. Did I break up with him simply because of what I saw, or because of other reasons? I picked up the phone and dialed Seth's old cell phone number. I had to talk to him, I needed some answers.

"Hello," he answered, sounding really tired.

"Seth?" I asked tentatively. I had no idea what I had planned, but I knew I had to talk to him, even if just for five minutes. "Are you free for lunch on Saturday?" We chatted contentedly for the next few minutes and made an appointment for to meet around one on Saturday. I had a million questions running around in my head and I knew Seth would be able to answer some of them. Then I would get up the nerve to speak to Edward, although that might take longer than getting up the balls to call Seth. I was over Seth; I could handle lunch with him. I wasn't over Edward though.

Saturday came really fast and before I knew it, I was sitting in a café down on Michigan Avenue waiting for Seth. We had agreed to a completely neutral and public location, for my own safety. Well, I suggested it and he agreed easily. It had actually been a very warm day, so I sat outside on the patio waiting for him to show up. It was boring. I should have brought a book or something with me to pass the time.

"Bella, you look good," said Seth as he sneaked up behind me and offered up a short hug.

"Thanks, you look surprisingly sober and clean," I replied happily. We chatted for quite a while about how his experience in the hallway with Edward and I had knocked some sense into him and he checked into rehab again a few days later, with the help of his parents. "I'm happy for you."

"Yeah well, at least now both of us are doing well in life right? Edward seems like a really good guy," he said with a big smile. I hadn't seen Seth look this happy in a few years, and it was very comforting to see he was growing up.

"I'm not seeing Edward anymore," I admitted ruefully. "We split last week. I think he was cheating on me."

"You think?" he asked slightly confused. "That guy loved you like crazy Bella. I could tell and I was high on crack at the time. Why do you say 'you think'?"

"I saw him at a restaurant with a woman. There was hand holding, hugging and kissing, but every single person in my life insists that what I saw was misconstrued. It's kind of the reason I'm sitting here with you right now." Seth's eyes lit up in curiosity. "Why did you cheat on me?"

"Wow, get straight to the point don't you Bella?" he laughed as he took a bite of the salad he ordered. "I have no good excuse. You were awesome, the best thing that ever happened to me, and I took it for granted. I was stoned, not thinking straight and it wasn't because I didn't want you, because I did, but I didn't deserve you." Seth looked pretty remorseful as he recounted the story to me of how he met Carly and why he did what he did. She was an enabler and he couldn't get away from her, no matter how hard he tried. "What did Edward say when you talked to him?"

"We haven't talked."

"Bella, smarten up already. I've been in and out of rehab for the past year, and I think I'm smarter in relationships than you are," he laughed nervously. I just shook my head and listened to him carefully. "You should have talked to him, it was the first thing you should have done. In our situation, you found me in bed with her; it was pretty obvious what was going on. In Edward's case there is probably a good explanation for everything. When I saw him with you in the hallway that day, you looked at each other in a way that we never looked at each other."

"Since when are you the voice of reason?" I asked Seth sweetly as I began to feel remorseful for not trusting Edward in the first place.

"Well, hours and hours of therapy seem to have rubbed off on me," he joked as he finished his salad. "Edward isn't me. Even though I'm taking a huge shot at my own ego, he's a lot better than me. He's definitely more deserving of you than I am."

"Thanks Seth, I think I needed this." We talked for a little while longer and he had to leave because he had existing plans with Noah and some other friends, so we parted ways amicably.

"Call me and let me know how things go," said Seth as he paid the bill and walked away. I sat at the table by myself for almost another hour, trying to get up the nerve to call Edward, but I couldn't do it. If I was in the wrong, I would feel like a complete bitch for how I treated him. I didn't know how to move forward. I didn't know how to fix this.

I hoped on the first train and headed straight back to my apartment. I was going to call Alice and have her explain to me what Edward had told her. Then I would talk to Edward. When I walked up the stairs to my place, there were two boxes sitting in front of my door, and there was a note on top of one, in Edward's handwriting. I opened my door and nervously brought the boxes in, placing them on my dining room table, and hesitantly opened the letter.

_Bella,_

_Sorry I didn't bring these things back sooner. I hope everything is included. The second box is an old record player Carlisle didn't want, so it's yours now. Consider it a gift from him. I'm sure you will be able to find hundreds of albums to play on it._

_See you at the wedding._

_Edward._

I slunk down in the dining room chair I was sitting in and stared at the boxes. I reached for my cell phone and dialed Alice. Unfortunately, I got her voicemail, so I left a quick message asking for her to call me when she had a moment. I went to my bedroom and changed into the clothes of Edwards which I had kept and slowly opened the first box while sitting on the living room floor. There were a few articles of clothing, a Fiona Apple CD, my weathered copy of 'Jane Eyre' and the record of 'La Vie En Rose' that he had bought on the first Sunday we went to the record store together. I plugged the record player in and was about to turn it on when my cell phone rang, it was Rosalie.

"What's going on? Alice said you just left her an urgent message," said Rosalie, sounding a bit upset.

"Is Alice with you?"

"Yeah, but she's hemming my dress for hopefully the last time," remarked Rosalie happily. I had forgotten that today was the final fitting. I was supposed to be there but Rosalie granted me the time off to have my lunch with Seth, even though she didn't approve. "How did lunch with Seth go?"

"It was fine. He's clean and sober and was actually very reasonable about everything. I called because I wanted to ask Alice what she knew about Edward's point of view of what had happened." I listened as Rosalie talked to Alice for a moment, asking her for specifics, but Alice didn't seem to want to help.

"She said you should look in the boxes and then call Edward. It sounds a bit cryptic to me, so I hope you understand what she means." I did. We hung up from our call and I turned on the record player and let the soft, French music wash over me. I started to cry, recalling the moment when I listened to the song in the booth with Edward. I had kissed him. I wanted to kiss him now. I wanted to hug him and apologize for being such a complete paranoid lunatic for the past week. As I continued to sort through the remnants of my relationship, I found a hard covered book at the bottom of the box. It wasn't mine.

When I looked closely at the cover, I immediately knew what it was. It was Edward's novel. It had finally been published, and I couldn't have been more proud of him than I was at that exact moment. I reached for my cell phone to call him and congratulate him, but I caught the inscription at the front of the book and froze.

_Il est entré dans mon cœur  
Une part de bonheur  
Dont je connais la cause_

_I love you Bella_

My heart shattered into a million pieces. I knew the English translation was 's_ome happiness has, come into my heart, of which I know the cause_.' He loved me. He was telling the entire world that he loved me. I couldn't breathe. I had fucked up and I couldn't think of how to fix it. How had I been so blind? I grabbed my cell phone and dialed his number, prepared to apologize and beg for his forgiveness, but I got his voicemail. I bring myself to leave such an important message on his cell phone, so I tossed on some shoes, grabbed my purse and ran out of the apartment. I hailed the first cab I could find and went straight to his apartment. I was scared out of my mind; I had no idea what to say. I even asked Neil the cab driver for insight, but he just said to follow my heart. I had assumed that every guy was just like Seth, but Edward was ten times the person Seth could ever be. My trust in Edward had wavered for too long and I had to show him that I believed in him, and knew that he didn't cheat on me, although I did want to hear the proper explanation from him about what actually did happen

As I paid Neil the fare, and wandered into his building, I suddenly felt very self conscious in Edward's boxer shorts and t-shirt.

"Good Afternoon Miss Bella," said Peter, the doorman. "Mr. Cullen isn't here." Could this day get any worse? At least it was warm enough for me to be wearing such revealing clothing. "He's in New York for two weeks. Something to do with a book."

"Thanks Peter," I said as I walked back out the door and sat down on the curb.

"Would you like me to call you a cab?" yelled Peter politely. I just nodded my head in agreement and tried to resign myself to my fate. Just like Alice had said, I had realized my error and he was nowhere to be found. What would I do now? Several minutes later, I hopped in the cab that Peter had ordered for me and went straight back home. I grabbed my trusty bottle of gin and fixed myself a stiff drink as I sat comfortably on the couch and started to read Edward's book, 'Sunday Morning."

**A/N: Reviews are better than Cadbury Crème Eggs.**


	26. New York, New York

**A/N: I'm back. Sorry for the lack of delays, but life happens right? Plus, while I was spending time with the family, I got another idea for a story, so I've already started a new one. I'll probably post a few chapters in the next few days, but I hate to work on two stories at once, so the updates on the new story may be few and far between until I've finished this one. Anywhoo, I hope everyone had an awesome Easter and enjoys the new chapters. Reviews are better than everything!**

**Edward POV**

"Edward, are you ready?" asked the smooth voice of some random redhead perched behind the reception desk in my publisher's corporate office in New York City. I was on day eight of my twelve day visit, and I couldn't wait to get home. It had been a whirlwind of meetings, interviews and photo shoots, none of which were able to hold my attention or draw me from my thoughts of Bella. I turned back to the redhead and nodded my head casually as she led me down a hallway towards yet another awkward meeting. Today's topic was the cities to visit for my upcoming book tour and all the things that would be involved. When Olivia mentioned this trip to me originally, I jumped at the chance to get away from Chicago and everything that reminded me of Bella. I thought getting away for a few days would help, but it just made me miss her more. After my first day in New York, I settled into my hotel room and immediately thought of Bella. _This must have been what is was like when Bella visited a few months ago_, I told myself as I was shuffled from meetings and appointments, never once enjoying the city.

"Edward, are you okay with this?" asked Olivia as I shook my head in confusion. I hadn't been listening and she knew it. I looked back at her with a slight glare and she repeated her question.

"They want to start right after Labor Day and it will last for about three weeks. You'll get to L.A., San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas and then back here to New York for a few more days, before finally ending in Chicago."

"Yeah, that sounds great. I get a few more months to let all this stuff sink in," I said casually. I had been nervous throughout each day in New York. I wasn't overly keen on answering questions about my book and my inspiration, especially since we weren't together technically. The photo shoots were more awkward though because I wished Bella was behind the camera and I didn't feel comfortable having my picture taken, even if it was for the back of my soon to be published novel. When our meeting finally ended, Olivia took me out to dinner with Lyndsey, the PR Rep who would be helping me while I was out on the book tour. It was the first time I was having dinner outside of my hotel since I had arrived in New York, and I immediately regretted it even though it was a good business decision.

We ended up going to some extremely fancy restaurant and were seated immediately because Lyndsey apparently knew someone who knew someone who called ahead and got us a reservation, even though they usually have to wait days to get a decent seat here. Dinner conversation was casual, but always about the publishing industry. I was easily bored and tried to crack a couple of jokes, but Olivia was her usual 'business as always' persona. I missed my easy conversations with Bella about stupid reality TV shows or movies that she hated because they featured Hugh Jackman.

"Sorry about her," said Lyndsey when Olivia left the table for a moment to answer a private call. I just shrugged my shoulders and brushed it off. I was used to Olivia's personality, or lack thereof. "She's a little too much sometimes, don't you think?"

"Sometimes? I don't think she has ever smiled in the six months I've known her," I remarked casually.

"Well, not everyone in the company is so focused. She's a great rep, but she has no personality to speak of," joked Lyndsey as I offered a slight smile. Olivia would be back soon and so would the uncomfortable conversation. "So, I wanted to know if you wanted to go to dinner tomorrow? No business talk whatsoever," she asked genuinely and I was extremely surprised. My first instinct was that Lyndsey hadn't read my book, otherwise she would know I was emotionally unavailable.

"That's a nice offer, but I'll have to decline. I've got someone special waiting for me back in Chicago."

"I thought Olivia told me that you guys had broken up," asked Lyndsey slightly confused.

"There was a slight miscommunication, but I don't consider us broken up. She was the inspiration for the book, as well as the person I dedicated it to." I wasn't going to lie to her; she really had no chance in hell of convincing me to even go out to dinner with her, that wasn't work related. Lyndsey was a fairly attractive woman with shoulder length blonde hair, but she looked like she was more high maintenance than Rosalie, and I didn't think that was even a possibility until I visited New York. "Things are just confusing for us right now."

"So, how did everything get so confusing?" she questioned sweetly. I really didn't feel like opening myself up to this stranger, so I gave her the abridged version.

"Let's just say that she saw something and drew the wrong conclusion. She won't talk to me to let me explain the truth, so we're currently at a stalemate. When I get home, we're in a wedding together, so I'm sure I'll be able to corner her and get her to see my side of things," I said, sounding remarkably hopeful for someone who hadn't talked to his girlfriend in over two weeks.

"What happens if she turns you down?"

"Then, I spend more time trying to find ways to win her and her trust back. She means too much for me to do nothing about it and just give up," I said confidently. If there was one thing in this world that was certain of, it was that Bella and I were meant to be together.

"Good luck Edward. This girl would have to be clinically insane to break up with you," laughed Lyndsey as Olivia came back to the table and we finished our dinner peacefully. Shortly after we left the restaurant, I decided to walk the few blocks back to my hotel and I checked my cell phone. There was a text message from Alice.

_E, Bella pulled her head out of her ass, you should call her – A_

I stopped dead in my tracks and wondered what the hell that really meant. I dialed Alice's number as fast as I could, eager to find out what the hell she was talking about.

"That was quick," laughed Alice as she answered the phone. "How's New York treating my twin brother?"

"New York is boring, and I got hit on by my PR Rep about 40 minutes ago. I'm counting down the seconds until my flight home, but enough of that crap. What the hell was with your text message?" I asked excitedly. The text from Alice was the most news I had heard about Bella in days, so I was desperate for an reply.

"She came and talked to me at work today and wanted to know when you got home."

"What did you tell her?" I shrieked impatiently as I quickened my pace and started to practically run back to the comfort of my over-sized hotel suite.

"I said you would be home on Friday, just in time for Emmett's bachelor party." Which was true. My flight got in to O'Hare around four in the afternoon and I had to be at Emmett's place at seven for his bachelor party, which he kept insisting to me would be awesome. I had my doubts because he had explained that a bunch of his college buddies were coming and they were doing some sort of pub crawl.

"And then what happened?"

"She told me that she had a lot of time to think about things, including her failed relationship with Seth, which she discussed with him at length, and that she wanted to sit down and talk with you. She kept insisting that she didn't want to do it over the phone though, because I tried to get her to call you and she refused. She's a stubborn little thing ain't she?" laughed Alice again as she continued to try to explain some of their conversation.

"She met with Seth?" I asked, sounding a little bit too shocked for my own good. Things hadn't ended well between her and Seth, and I was suddenly scared for her well being when Alice told me.

"Don't worry. He's been in rehab since the day after you found him in Bella's hallway. Apparently he's doing well, but Bella insisted to me that she wasn't interested in rekindling her romance with him, so that's a good sign right?" That was a very good sign in my opinion.

"Should I really call her? She sounds like she would rather talk face and face, and even though I am desperate to hear her voice, I don't want to move too quickly for her," I admitted reluctantly. I wasn't ready to talk to her if I thought it would make anything worse between us, and Alice understood my unwillingness.

"Okay, then text her. At least let her know that you are thinking about her," suggested Alice shortly before we finished our conversation. She was right; I should just send her a quick text. It was impersonal, but she would know that I still cared and wanted to talk to her when I got home too. I spent almost an hour scribbling notes on a pad in my hotel room before I came up with something simple. I was completely overanalyzing the message before I sent it.

_Bella – I miss you. Edward._

Almost immediately I got a response back from her, and my heart began to soar.

_I miss you too._

_Yet another good sign for Edward,_ I told myself. Since the line of communication was open between us, I decided to text her back and keep it that way.

_How have you been?_

I went to the mini bar and poured myself a stiff shot of whiskey, while I waited for her to text me back. Maybe she turned her phone off and wasn't really ready to talk to me at length, even if it was via text message.

_I've been better, but I can't wait to talk to you. Can we make plans to meet when you get back?_

I was starting to hate texting because I just wanted to hear her voice.

_Can I call you, I promise no relationship talk?_

I waited a few moments, practically begging god to let the words _yes_ pop up across my screen, but instead my phone rang, and it was Bella. I felt just as happy as I did the first time she actually agreed to a date with me.

"Hi," I answered nervously. It felt like it had been years since I had heard her voice, and listening to her speak made the trip to New York almost seem worthwhile. _Almost._

"Hey. So, when are you free when you get back to town?" she inquired bluntly.

"You should ask Rosalie," I laughed as I suddenly remembered everything wedding related that I had to do the moment I got home. "I get in on Friday afternoon, but then I head to Emmett's for the bachelor party. You probably have the bachelorette to go to right?"

"Shit. Yeah,I do. I think the party starts at like eight or something. Rosalie wants to do Karaoke, so we're going back to that bar we went to a few months ago," she laughed happily. Oh how I adored that laugh. Bella probably didn't realize it, but she gave me a little too much information regarding the bachelorette party. Rosalie had specifically said we weren't supposed to share the details. _Thanks Bella!_

"Well, unless we can meet at like four in the morning, after the parties, we probably won't see each other until the wedding," I said sorrowfully. I needed to see her before the wedding. I wouldn't be able to stand up for Emmett, with her directly across from me, without saying something to her first. I would be a complete basket case.

"Damn, well I guess we can talk after the ceremony. We have to go get a bunch of photos done, but I'm sure we can manage a few minutes to talk," she suggested. I, of course, was formulating another plan of attack. One which involved convincing the guys to go and bust up the bachelorette party so that I could steal Bella away for a little while and talk to her privately.

"Okay. I can wait until then I suppose," I lied. Since I had Bella on the phone, I didn't want her to go anywhere, so I started talking about how crappy New York had been for me, and she recounted her own horror stories of the two months she had spent here. I decided to test the waters a little bit and let her know that Lyndsey had asked me out.

"What did you say?" she asked sounding curious, yet slightly jealous.

"I told her that I was taken, and that even though we were going through a rough patch, but I had faith it would work out."

"Was she pretty?" she asked after a short silence.

"No where near as pretty as you," I said with a big smile on my face. "Did you get the boxes?"

"Yeah, I think Alice and Rosalie hate Edith Piaf now. They were over last night to discuss some last minute wedding details and I played the album the entire time. Thank you by the way. It was an awesome gift."

"Did you read the book?" I inquired curiously. She hadn't mentioned it or the inscription yet, but the not knowing was killing me.

"I started to, but then Rosalie had a floral emergency and I really haven't had much of a chance yet actually. Between work and the wedding, I've been up to my eyeballs in stuff and when I get home, I usually just pass out. I read the dedication though but I think we should discuss it when we talk in person. No relationship talk, remember?" laughed Bella as I took another sip of my whiskey. It wasn't the answer I was looking for, but she didn't tell me to go to hell, so I was going to think of it as a small victory.

It was almost midnight when we finished our conversation. It was only eleven at night for her, but I had a seven o'clock breakfast meeting and another excruciating photo shoot, so we agreed to say goodnight. "I'll see you in a few days, right?" I asked again, making sure I wasn't dreaming.

"Yeah, I'll see you at the altar. I'll be the one beside the one wearing white," she joked and we finally hung up. I lay in my bed for a while just staring at the ceiling with a big smile on my face. I had my plan to manage a conversation with her on Friday night, now I just needed to find a way to implement it. I wasn't sure if Emmett or any of his old college and football buddies would be okay with skipping the pub crawl we had planned to go do Karaoke, but I had to at least try. When I finally fell asleep, I dreamt happy and romantic dreams of Bella and I. She accepted my apology for not doing anything wrong, and she apologized for not coming into the bakery, and for causing all the trouble that we had. She told me she didn't want to be with anyone else ever again, and I confessed my undying love to her and whisked her off to Paris and married her under the Eiffel Tower. When I was awoken only four hours later to the annoying buzzing of the alarm clock, I was pissed that my dream had to end. At least I would be back in Chicago soon, I reminded myself as I dragged myself out to bed to head to yet another boring and tedious meeting.


	27. You Found Me

**A/N: So I wrote this last night and didn't post it, thanks to my toddler opting to not fall asleep last night, but here it is. Bachelorette party fun. Thanks again to all the lovely folks who had reviewed and read my story religiously. I may get another chapter up later today. Wish me luck! **

**Bella POV**

The rest of the week dragged on even more slowly than usual. I had at least talked to Edward for a few hours, and it was an uncomplicated conversation, with only a few awkward moments where we mentioned our relationship. We had tried to schedule time to talk to one another before the wedding, but it was virtually impossible. His plane had landed a few hours ago, but he was supposed to be at Emmett's getting ready for their bachelor party. So here I sat at the Karaoke bar, sipping on my second Gin & Tonic and feeling very under dressed. Alice had insisted on choosing my clothing for the evening and I was clad in an entirely too short and too tight purple dress with a small ruffled edge along the bottom. There were no sleeves or straps, so it was basically help up by gravity. I knew I looked hot, but I felt uncomfortable. We had been in the bar for a total of ten minutes and I had already attracted the wrong kind of attention.

Luckily for me, a lot of the attention would quickly change to Rosalie who was wearing a similar dress in white. She was also wearing a bridal veil and had the words '_bride to be'_ imprinted on her ass. I was not envious of her, and if I ever got married, I was going to ensure that dress was burned before it got anywhere near my body.

"It's not that bad, Bella," said Alice as she watched me try to pull the hem on the dress down a bit. Too bad every time I did that, the top of the dress slid down. I took a quick shot of something that was on our table and went back to reading the list of songs available for the evening.

"I want something wedding related," slurred Rosalie as she grabbed the pages from my hands and started to search. "Maybe I can do 'White Wedding' or 'Going to the Chapel'?" I was dreading listening to whatever song Rosalie would choose. Last time we were here, she absolutely killed a Garth Brooks song and I still shudder when I hear the proper version of 'Two Pina Colada's'. However, this is what Rose wanted to do on her pretend last night of being a single woman, so we were going to enjoy it.

"Why don't you sing '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover?" suggested Alice with a loud drunken laugh. I rolled my eyes as I saw Rosalie actually consider it for a moment.

"I think you should sing 'I Will Always Love You' by Whitney Houston." I was being completely sarcastic, but I did think my suggestion was better than Alice's. I knew the song was originally done by Dolly Parton, but if I mentioned it to Rose, she would have started arguing with me. Her eyes widened at the mention of the song and she swiftly stumbled up to the front and made her request. As she took the stage, I was glad that I wasn't a fan of the song, so I could actually enjoy the scene in front of us. She was horrible. It was beyond horrible actually. It was one of the most atrocious things I had ever witnessed with my eyes or heard with my ears. The crowd was cheering her on because she was scantily dressed and had more to drink that all the patrons in the bar combined. She did a low bow when she finished the song and got even more catcalls from the crowd. When she finally sauntered back over to us, she was ecstatic with her performance, and who was I to ruin her night?

"You rocked that shit," I yelled with a big grin on my face. She gave me and Alice a big hug and then wandered to the booth next to ours to chat with some model and college friends who had come with us.

"I think I need to erase my short term memory," laughed Alice as we joked happily at Rose's expense for a moment. "Maybe she can sing 'My Heart Will Go On Next'? I've always hated that song."

"I think her friend Devon would be really good at singing 'Love Shack'. She has one of those high pitched nasally voices that would make it even funnier," I joked as I took another shot of tequila.

After a few more shots, Rosalie took the stage again, this time with Alice by her side. They had decided to sing 'Sharp Dressed Man' by ZZ Top and I just sat back and laughed so hard I almost peed myself. Alice could at least carry a tune, but paired with Rosalie, it was a train wreck.

It was almost half an hour and a few more heinous songs later when Alice nudged me and we both turned around. In the back of the bar stood Emmett with about six friends of his, but Edward was no where to be found. Rosalie hadn't noticed they had arrived, when I suddenly realized this was my fault.

"Shit," I uttered quietly, but Alice had heard me.

"What's wrong?"

"I told Edward where we going tonight and he obviously brought Em's bachelor party here," I said, feeling like a complete idiot. I had broken Rosalie's cardinal rule about the parties, which was that neither group could know where the other was going.

"It's okay. I told Jasper where we were going. He usually can't pass up an opportunity to belt out 'Jack and Diane'" she smiled and I instantly felt better. When we turned our attention back to the stage, my mouth dropped open as I saw Edward standing up to the mic looking gorgeous. His hair was all over the place and he was dressed in my favorite jeans and a tight black t-shirt. A smile spread across my face and I thought I might even start drooling. Suddenly he broke into 'Can't Take My Eyes Off of You' by Frankie Valle. If I hadn't been so happy to see him, I might have started crying.

The response from the audience wasn't as loud as when Rosalie bent over and showed her cleavage to everyone, but there was a lot of clapping and a few of Rose's model friends expressed some interest in him.

"That's my brother-in-law," laughed Rosalie when Edward finally left the stage and came over to say hi.

"Is he single?" asked Devon eagerly. Rosalie shot me a quick glance, unsure of how to respond.

"No, he's not," I said angrily before Edward could hear the jealousy in my voice. Alice and Rosalie just gave me big grins, because they were happy I had finally smartened up and wanted him back.

"Good evening ladies," he said politely as he stood in front of our two booths in the middle of the room. "Can I speak to you for a moment Bella?" He extended his hand sweetly. I took it enthusiastically and let him lead me outside of the bar.

"I had to get you out of there. Emmett was about to step up to the stage and break into either 'The Humpty Dance' by Digital Underground or 'Stan' by Eminem. He was having a hard time deciding, so he might do both," laughed Edward happily as he clutched my hand tightly and we walked down the street.

"I'm surprised to see you tonight," I admitted nervously. I didn't know if now was the right time for the relationship discussion or not. "You did excellent on the stage."

"Thanks. I planned to bust up your little girl fest the moment you let it slip you guys were doing karaoke. Emmett was all too eager to come and see it for himself, and I didn't want to be at the wedding without talking to you first."

"You want to do this now?" I asked incredulously. I had at least 6 shots into me and two gin and tonics and he wanted to talk about our relationship.

"No better time than the present right?" he asked kindly. There was a look in his eyes that told me he couldn't handle it if we didn't talk soon, so we walked across the street to a bench and talked. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I had a meeting that morning. It happened after we had spilt for the morning, and I didn't think it was important."

"What was the meeting about?" I asked curiously. We had never discussed the complete details of what had happened, and I couldn't wait to get them out in the open. I think the booze in my system was making it easier for me to be as blunt as I was being.

"It was my publisher, Olivia. We met so that she could give me the first copy of my book." Edward smiled a crooked little smile and my heart melted. "I went to pick it up so that I could give it to you and tell you how I felt about you that night at dinner."

I was a raving idiot. He was doing yet another grand romantic gesture and just like everyone said, I completely misread it. "I'm so sorry I fucked us up." Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him. I breathed in his scent greedily before I spoke again. "From my vantage point, it looked like you were holding her hand."

"I was holding the book." He stated matter of factly. "I only want to ever hold your hand Bella."

"What about the hug and kiss?"

"I was a bit taken aback by actually having a published book and Olivia offered me a supportive hug. I kissed her on the cheek to thank her for being such a great friend and publisher. When you meet Olivia, you'll know I was never attracted to her. She has the personality of a pet rock," laughed Edward as he grabbed my hand in his and started to stroke my palm with his fingers.

"I saw Seth last week."

"I know. Alice told me. She said he cleaned up his act. That's great news." Edward was actually smiling when he said this so I knew he meant it. "How did it go?"

"He helped me to realize that it was my insecurities, caused by him, that made me push you away and automatically assume the worse. So I'm sorry again. You will forgive me right?" I inquired curiously. Edward slid his fingers under my chin and lifted my head slightly and leaned forward and gave me the gentlest kiss I had ever had.

"Promise me you won't do it again? You'll talk to me before you go all crazy about nothing?"

"I promise. I love you Edward." I admitted blissfully. He bent his head and leaned into my neck, giving me another gentle kiss.

"I love you too Bella."

**Edward POV**

An intense feeling of happiness and relief washed over me as I finally told Bella that I loved her. Part of me didn't want to stop confessing my love, so I went a little overboard.

"I fell in love with you during our first conversation back in the bar eight months ago. I kept trying to find the right time to say the words, but it never happened, until tonight. You are the only thing that matters to me and I can't imagine my life without you. When you finally read my book, I think it will make a little more sense. I hope you forgive me for not telling you earlier?" I said feeling slightly ashamed for taking so damned long to tell her.

"I read the book already," said Bella as I glanced up at her face in excitement. "I loved it. Every single word was beautiful."

"I'm glad you liked it." I smiled as I pulled her onto my lap. "I had the basis of the story written before we even began spending our Sunday mornings together, so it was kinda funny to me when you suggested we hang out on Sundays."

"So, you wrote a book about a couple falling in love while spending every Sunday together doing the most asinine things, and we just happened to do the exact same thing?" laughed Bella as she pulled me in for a kiss.

"Yeah, funny huh?"

"Just slightly. Do you think we'll have the same happy ending?" She asked as she pulled back from me and raised her eye brow, curious for my response.

"Ours will be better," I whispered confidently as I grabbed her face in my hands and started kissing her passionately. My hands ran down to her thighs and I slowly ran my fingers up from her knee to her hip, sliding over her clothes. "Did Alice put you in this thing? It's even worse than the blue dress from the gallery opening. Remind me to yell at her later for dressing you like this."

"You don't like it?" she asked sexily.

"Of course I like it. I just don't like everyone else looking at my girl. Perhaps we should head back in and I can sing 'Jealous Guy' by John Lennon." I smirked as I fingered the ruffled hem of her dress happily. It brought back memories of the ruffled lingerie Bella had worn for me a few months ago and it took all my will power not to grab the first cab and take her home to make love to her. I was about to lean in for another kiss when Alice appeared outside the bar, clearly looking for us. I glanced down at my watch and noticed we had been gone for almost half an hour.

"Get back here you two. Rosalie is about to sing 'Paradise City' by Guns and Roses," yelled Alice enthusiastically. I grabbed Bella and lifted her up in my arms, carrying her across the street to where Alice was waiting. "Is everything all good?" she asked as Bella led the way back into the bar.

"Better than okay," I replied happily as I followed Bella back to the booth she was sitting in and took my place beside her. I never should have been away from her. Alice and Jasper sat with us and we spent the rest of the evening watching stupid drunk people do heinous renditions of classic songs. Alice had explained to us Jasper's fascination with all things John Cougar Mellencamp and we watched excitedly as he took the stage and sang 'Jack and Diane' and 'Pink Houses. He was infinitely better than Rosalie. Then again, two cats fucking on a hot tin roof had more musical ability than my sister-in-law.

It was nearing two in the morning when the bartender announced it was last call. Em and Rose both sighed in frustration because they had drank more than the rest of us combined, and there was thirteen of us there. "Come on Bella, let's get a cab back to your place," shrieked Rosalie as I watched her stumble towards our table.

"I guess I can't come home with you huh?" I asked feeling slightly silly for asking. The thought of lying with Bella in her bed had been playing in my mind all night and I had officially run out of chances to ask her. "It looks like you might need some help with Rosalie," I lied. I knew Bella could handle her, but I didn't want to go back to Emmett's place or mine either. I wanted to be where she was.

"No way. I'm not staying up all night listening to you two fuck like bunnies," yelled Rosalie in anger. Bella shot me a remorseful glance and I apologized.

"Why doesn't Edward help us get home and then he can head back to his place," asked Bella as we both watched Rosalie nod tentatively. "You can wait in the lobby for a few minutes and when I've got her ass in her old bed, you can sneak back in," whispered Bella excitedly. I immediately stretched my hand outward and hailed us the first cab available. We gently eased Rosalie in the far left side of the back seat of the cab and rolled down the window so that she could get some fresh air, and puke out of the car if need be.

"For a girl who's already married, she certainly got wasted at her fake bachelorette party," I laughed as I held Bella's hand tightly in mine.

"It wasn't fake. The only ones who know Em and I are already married were you, Bella, Alice and Jasper," remarked Rosalie in frustration. "Tomorrow won't be fake either Edward. It is what Emmett and I would have planned if we had decided to not elope in Vegas." I decided to just shrug my shoulders and not stress about Rosalie and her drama today.

"Did you finish your speech?" asked Bella sweetly, as Rosalie's head turned around curiously.

"Yeah. I finished it the other night after our phone call." Bella smiled at me, pleased that I had officially completed my best man speech and laid her head down on my shoulder. My hand instinctively wrapped around her shoulder and I reached my hand up and started to stroke her hair gently. I listened carefully as she hummed 'La Vie En Rose' contentedly while I held her. When we finally pulled in front of the building, I helped the girls inside the apartment and ran back downstairs to pay the cab.

"I thought I was taking you home too buddy?" asked the cab driver as I handed him a fifty dollar bill for a fifteen dollar ride.

"I am home," I replied happily as I head into the lobby to wait for Bella to call my cell phone and give me the all clear. I sat on the steps leading up to her floor and wondered if it was too soon to ask her if she was willing to move in with me. We had practically lived at each other's apartments before our little split, and it seemed stupid for her to pay rent for such a large two bedroom when she wasn't even using the second bedroom for anything. Suddenly my phone buzzed and Bella had texted me to come in. I practically sprinted up the stairs in anticipation.

Her door was open a crack and the entire apartment was dark, except for the light coming from her bedroom. I locked the door behind me and nervously made my way to her bedroom, which was unlocked, as I had expected. Bella was in the process of sliding out of the fabric sample she had called a dress, and she looked more beautiful than ever. I walked up behind her slowly and wrapped my arms around her, kissing the nape of her neck. "You are so gorgeous," I whispered to her quietly as I kissed her neck and shoulder softly.

"Edward Cullen, it's the day of your brother's second wedding to his first wife. I think we should be getting our beauty sleep this morning, instead of, what was it that Rosalie called it…?"

"Fucking like bunnies?" I answered with a laugh.

"Yes, we should go to sleep instead of fucking like bunnies," she said as she pulled away from me and tossed on my old faded Armani t-shirt. It looked even worse than it did when I owned it. I resigned myself to the fact that we would need to be up early in the morning, and quickly undressed and climbed into bed beside her. I eagerly swooped her up in my arms and pulled her as close to me as I could without smothering her. I breathed in her scent with a massive smile on my face.

"I love you Bella," I said as I kissed her forehead and leaned my head into the crook of her neck to fall asleep.

"Yes you do," sighed Bella gleefully as she laid her head against my chest and fell asleep quickly. I knew how busy tomorrow would be, so I decided to talk to Bella after the wedding about moving in together. Although part of me really wanted to nudge her awake and ask her now. I loved her with my entire heart, and couldn't wait to move forward with her. I raised my hand slightly and ran my fingers through her hair, reveling in the fact that I was back beside her again, and I never planned to leave.


	28. White Wedding

**A/N: Time for some sweet wedding fluffiness. Mmm… sweet wedding fluffiness. Whoops, I channeled my inner Homer Simpson for a second. The next chappie will probably be up late tonight and will be the reception and lots of lemony goodness. So enjoy the fluff until then, and review your little hearts out!**

**Bella POV**

"This is ridiculous, they're late," screamed Rosalie as she stomped around my apartment in a huff. She was still hung over from the night before and had been taking her stress out on Alice and I for the last half hour. I just glared at her and took a big sip of water before swallowing my Tylenol. I had a massive headache and Rosalie wasn't helping the situation. "I mean, I booked them months ago and they can't show up on time?"

"Calm down Rose," said Alice as she suddenly turned into the voice of reason. "I set the clocks ahead by fifteen minutes so we wouldn't be late. So your hairstylist is not late, he still has ten minutes to get here." I laughed happily as Alice explained everything to Rosalie and a few minutes later, Andre the stylist arrived. I watched as Rosalie perched herself in a dining room chair and let Andre work his magic on her. It was now ten in the morning.

Edward had slipped out undetected just before eight. We only managed a few hours of sleep, but even the few I had with him in my arms was better than all the sleep I had without him over the past two weeks. Alice and Rosalie could both see the major difference in me in the past twelve hours and I wasn't even close to being ashamed about it.

"So, what's next?" asked Alice of me as I practically chugged my hot coffee and prepared to go hop into the shower.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what is next for you and Edward?" I shrugged my shoulders, because we hadn't discussed anything even remotely close to our next step. We just wanted to be back together.

"There is no next step right now. We are back together and we're going to take it one day at a time. Although I had to promise him that if I ever go crazy again I will talk to him first," I laughed as I grabbed my towel and headed into the shower. Thirty minutes later, I came out, ready for my face off with the hair stylist. I had blow dried it like Andre had requested and sat patiently on the couch as he finished adding the hot rollers to Rosalie's hair. As soon as she was done, I took my seat happily and chatted with Rose and Alice about the wedding.

"So which one of you ladies told the boys where we were going to be last night?" asked Rose in mock anger. Alice and I laughed at each other and each raised our hands tentatively. "Well thanks. I think I had more fun with Emmett there." It was almost three when all of us were completely done with hair and makeup. We each grabbed our dresses which hung in the hall closet and made our way down to the waiting town car that Rose had hired to chauffeur us to the church.

The car ride was slightly awkward. Rosalie looked beautiful, but anxious, so I did my best to try to calm her fears. "What's with the sour face Rose?"

"Nothing, I just hoping everything goes perfect," she sighed and stared out the window.

"Whatever. You look almost as frustrated as Edward did last night when I told him we weren't having sex." I quickly threw my hand over my mouth, realizing that I had accidently let the cat out of the bag.

"I knew it," said Alice happily. "Well, not that you weren't having sex yet but he slept over last night. Jasper owes me ten bucks."

"We have sex," I yelled in frustration. "We just didn't do it last night." Alice just shrugged her shoulders and looked at me as though I was lying. "What do you want me to do? Draw you a picture?" I asked sarcastically but Alice just smiled at me. "You know we have sex Alice. I know he called you back in October after our one night stand." Rosalie looked back at the both of us, with a shocked expression on her face.

"No more talk about sex please. Emmett and I haven't had it in almost a month. He thought it would be better if we waited for our wedding night." Alice and I both started laughing hard. It was difficult to picture Emmett being the one to withhold sex from Rosalie.

"Oh my god Rose, no wonder you have been so stressed, even more than usual," I chuckled lightly. When I looked at her expression, she clearly didn't find it as funny as we did. "If you want, I can get Emmett into your suite before the wedding so you can jump his bones. I have an in with the best man." Rosalie shook her head in disagreement.

"Let's just talk about something different okay? No more sex talk." Alice and I both nodded our heads and Alice started up a conversation about the flowers and how they were supposed to be at the church by the time we arrived.

"Are you even allowed to get married in a church if you are already married and have been sleeping with the groom for five months?" I asked curiously. Both girls looked at me as though I was talking out of my ass. "I don't know." I said in response to their glares.

When we finally reached the church, Alice dashed Rosalie inside to the bridal suite like she was a felon going into court. She had a jacket draped over her head and I grabbed the dresses and carried them in. I saw Edward's Volvo in the parking lot and was suddenly relieved to know he was here already. I put all of our dresses into the suite, leaving Alice and Rose to inspect their bouquets that had arrived, and went to walk around the church and inspect everything that had been done. There were hundreds of flowers lining the pews, up towards the altar. I saw Esme and Carlisle briefly talking to the minister and quickly turned to walk away from them, not wanting to get caught into a long conversation with them. As I went to walk from the room, I felt a hand grab mine and lead me down the hallway, in the opposite direction of the bridal suite.

"You better made this quick, my boyfriends' in the building somewhere," I laughed as Edward snuck me into a dark room that looked like a broom closet or something. "A broom closet? Kinky."

"Nice try," laughed Edward with a big grin as he turned on the light in the room. "As much as I want you right now, I couldn't do it in a church." As my eyes adjusted to the light, I gave Edward a big kiss and looked down to inspect him in his tuxedo.

"Okay, let's go to the car then," I said as I grabbed his hand and tried to make him leave the closet with me. He didn't budge. "But you look so damn hot." I said as I ran my hand up his lapel and kissed his neck gently. The vest of his tuxedo was cornflower blue and I realized with a blush that we would match. It was kind of adorable and kind of creepy at the same time.

"No car sex either. How would it look if the best man was caught screwing the maid of honor in the back of a Volvo in the parking lot of the church?" he asked, with a semi serious expression on his face.

"I guess the fact that Rosalie and Emmett were already married wouldn't be so much of a big deal anymore then, huh?" I said with a sly wink.

"I guess that's true," laughed Edward as he gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "I grabbed you because I wanted to say I love you before the ceremony went down. I didn't think Rosalie would like it much if I bust in on you guys in the bridal suite. Although this broom closet doesn't exactly scream romance."

"I'll take you anyway I can get you Edward Cullen. I love you too." I was about to say something else when Alice swung open the door to the closet and put her hands on her hips in frustration.

"Hi Alice," waved Edward with a grin.

"Seriously, a broom closet? What are you guys, twelve?" she laughed as she left us there with the door wide open.

"I'm gonna go get dressed. I'll see you at the altar." I whispered with a wink as I walked down the hall of the church and headed back to the bridal suite, eager to see Edward again in his tuxedo again.

**EPOV**

"Five minutes and counting," said Jasper as he glanced at his watch and gave Emmett another time update. It had been going on since I wandered back into the room and there was thirty minutes to go. I was honestly thinking of throwing Jasper's watch to the ground and doing a little 'lord of the dance' action on it while I smashed it to a dozen pieces. Knowing Jasper, he probably had another watch ready for such an occasion.

"You look stressed Edward," said Emmett as he bounded up behind me and slapped me on the back, a little more forcefully than I would have liked.

"I'm gonna ask Bella to move in with me," I said as I cracked a slight smile.

"Smart move. Now you can keep a better eye on her craziness," laughed Jasper as I shot him a glance that said '_fuck you'._

"So what's the problem?" asked Emmett with a hint of concern. He was the one getting married in a few minutes and I was the basket case.

"I don't know how to do it."

"Just marry her, that way she has to move in with you," joked Jasper again as he gave Emmett a quick glance and a smirk.

"Oh, you got jokes?" laughed Emmett as he grabbed Jasper's wrist and looked at the time on his watch.

"Thanks for nothing boys," I said as I wandered into the hallway and started to pace nervously. As I walked towards the bridal suite, I caught a quick glimpse of Bella stepping out into the hallway with Alice, both of them dressed in their gowns and clutching their flowers. Bella looked absolutely breathtaking in her light blue strapless dress that I suddenly envisioned on the floor of my bedroom. I shook my head from the image and walked back to the groom's room where I found Jasper and Emmett getting ready to go to the front of the church. Music started to fill the rooms as we took our position at the altar. I glanced up at Emmett and he was beaming with excitement. For a brief second, as I watched him waiting patiently for his wife to become his wife again, I was envious of him.

Pachelbel's Canon filled the room as Alice started to walk effortlessly down the aisle, her hands full with the big purple and white flowers in her bouquet. Of course, I barely even noticed, because my eyes immediately turned towards Bella, who was standing at the end of the aisle, about to start her descent behind Alice. She smiled up at me and kept her luscious brown eyes trained on me the entire time she walked up the aisle. She took her spot in front of Alice at the altar and I just smiled happily at her.

I noticed Emmett fidget nervously for a moment, as Rosalie stood at the opposite end of the church, dressed in a beautiful white gown that Alice had created especially for her. Rosalie's father stood beside her and guided her down the aisle where Emmett was waiting expectantly. Of course, I only saw all of this out of the corner of my eye because I couldn't bear to take my eyes off of Bella.

The ceremony seemed to flow effortlessly as I heard various words from the mouth of the minister. There was something about objections and love and what have you, but I wasn't paying attention. I was still staring at Bella. Jasper had to punch me lightly on the shoulder to wake me from my daydream when the minister asked for the rings. I reached into my tuxedo pocket and pulled them out, handing them gently the minister as though they were extremely fragile. Before I even realized it, the ceremony was over and they were being formally announced as 'Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Cullen'. I stifled a quiet laugh because I knew Rosalie had actually changed her name about two months and watched in envy as they walked down the aisle to the claps and cheers of the guests. I walked forward and took Bella's arm in mine, to led her back down the aisle.

"Nice ceremony, huh?" she asked casually as we wandered away from all the well-wishers for a moment.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Did you hear me? I said it was nice ceremony," repeated Bella as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close to me.

"I wouldn't know. I was too busy watching you the entire time," I replied honestly. She turned her head around slowly and she looked as though she couldn't tell if I was being honest or not.

"Whatever," she laughed as she turned back to all the people gathered outside of the church, offering hugs and congratulations to Emmett and Rosalie. "So, did you see anything you liked? Did I pick my nose or anything embarrassing?"

"Of course I saw something I liked, I was staring at you Bella," I laughed with a big smile. "I think we should make a quick run back to your place and see how fast we can get these clothes off."

"Oh, so now you want to have sex?" laughed Bella as she grabbed my hand tightly.

"Well, we're not in the church now," I sighed, knowing she was about to turn me down.

"Let's go get our photos taken and then make our appearance at the reception. You can make your speech and all that crap and we will leave as soon as possible, deal?" asked Bella as turned back to face me and kissed my neck tenderly. Suddenly, I felt her bite me hard and start sucking on my neck, with approximately a hundred and fifty people gathered around us. "Well, we might have to find a broom closet at the reception hall."

"Broom closet, coat room, under the head table, patch of grass in the back of the building. I don't care. I don't think I can wait till we get home."


	29. All I Want Is You

**A/N: I had actually hoped to post this earlier but then my husband made me watch the episode of entourage where they go to comic-con, so I'm a wee bit delayed. I'm sure you will all forgive me, considering the sheer amount of lemony goodness included. Please review. I'm so excited to be over 300 reviews and I'm on like 175 alerts, so that is awesome. Thanks to everyone for their awesome words. I hope my words make you smile.**

**Bella POV**

"This is sheer torture. I don't know what's worse, sitting here waiting or listening to Rosalie sing Celine Dion," I moaned in frustration as I sat on a nearby bench and peeled my uncomfortable shoes from my tired and sore feet. We had been at a local park for almost an hour having wedding pictures taken. Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Alice, Edward and I were the only ones being subjected to the torture and for the past fifteen minutes, only Rose and Emmett had been in the photos. Every other guest was busy getting drunk at the reception and I wished I was with them.

"I think I would prefer electric shock torture than this," laughed Jasper as he joined in my impromptu game of "what form of pain would you prefer?"

"Ooh, I'd rather have all my nails plucked from my fingers, while I was conscious," said Alice with a morose laugh. She must have been thinking about that one for a while.

"I would rather be spending time with my parents," said Edward as we all laughed with him. He bent towards me and whispered softly in my ear. "You know Bella, I'm sure we can sneak behind some of those trees for a quickie," he suggested impatiently. Ever since we left the church, Edward had been trying to find somewhere we could go to quickly to have sex. "It will only take a few minutes."

"That doesn't exactly put your sexual prowess in a good light Edward." I chuckled as he finally realized the blow to his ego that he had subjected himself to.

"Okay, Rose just said we can all head to the reception," explained Jasper as he walked back to the bench where we were waiting. "She and Emmett are supposed to be following right behind us." Edward swiftly picked me up in his arms and started to carry me towards the car.

"Shoes," I screamed out in frustration. "Alice, can you bring my shoes" I shouted again as Edward started to pick up the pace and move faster to the car. "Babe, it's not like we're going to have sex in the parking garage at the hotel, so calm down." I sighed as he opened the door and helped me into the Volvo. Alice quickly arrived and handed me my shoes, even though I had no intention of putting them back on for the rest of the evening.

"You're just teasing me right?" asked Edward as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the hotel downtown where the reception was being held. "I mean, an hour ago you were sucking on my neck like a vampire and now you're playing hard to get?"

"Yes, Edward. I'm teasing you," I replied sarcastically. "Let's just get all of the important things done and then we can run out of the reception and ravish each other, okay?" I watched as Edward nodded his head in defeat. I reached over and started to rub his thigh gently in an effort to be supportive.

"Oy, be careful Bella. He's a wee bit frustrated," said Edward as he flinched uncomfortably and shifted his position in his seat.

When we finally got to the reception, all of the guests were in the process of being seated and I was starting to feel remorseful for getting Edward all worked up. When Rosalie and Emmett showed up a few minutes later, the entire bridal party was introduced into the hall and we took our seats at the head table. Emmett and Rose sat in the middle, with Edward and I directly to their right and Jasper and Alice to their left. Once the waiter had taken our drink order and we were waiting impatiently for dinner to be served, I decided to do something completely out of character for me and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat for a moment and shimmed my panties off. Thank god for the extra long tablecloths because it appeared that no one had noticed, particularly Edward.

"Can I borrow this? I asked Edward confidently as I tugged on his pocket square, pulling it free from the pocket on the left side of his tuxedo jacket.

"Why the hell would you need that?" he asked as he cocked an eye brow and looked at me curiously.

"Can't I just want it?" I asked as I gave him a little wink. His eyes looked very curious as I slipped the fabric into my tiny purse and folded my panties beneath the table before putting them where the pocket square once sat. I looked at my handiwork, and even though the color was a slightly different shade of blue, it was completely believable that it was a pocket square. So I patted it lightly back in place and gave Edward a sly grin.

"What are you doing? That's not the…" I smiled even bigger as Edward's eyed widened and he realized what I had done. "Wow, you've certainly got bold all of a sudden," he whispered into my ear as he took a quick bite at my ear lobe.

"What are you going to do about it?" I asked seductively. Almost immediately, he slid his chair closer to mine and reached his hand under the table and onto my thigh.

"If you can tease me, I can tease you," he whispered confidently as I felt the hem of my dress sliding up the bare skin of my thighs. Before I knew it, his hand was pushing open my all too willing thighs and his fingers were dancing lightly over my warm skin.

"Bella, those photographers were great, thanks for arranging that for us," smiled Rosalie as she broke me from my thoughts for a moment. Edward, however, didn't stop his fingers, in fact, he got more daring. I pulled the tablecloth up high on my lap so that there was no chance of anything being seen and I slid by body down slightly, allowing him more access.

"You're welcome Rose," I choked out as Edwards fingers began to move up and down my wetness.

"Are you okay?" she asked, as she darted her eyes towards me. I looked over at Edward, and he looked completely calm. In fact, he looked like he was watching our conversation while his hands rested on his lap, but of course, his hands weren't resting at all.

"Yep, everything is fanfuckingtastic," I laughed as I suddenly flinched for a moment as his index finger pushed gently against my clit, then began encircling it. Suddenly Edward leaned over me, with his one arm perched on the back of my chair, and struck up a quick conversation with Emmett who was two seats over.

"So where are you guys going on your honeymoon?" asked Edward as he shoved one finger deep inside me and I moaned in pleasure. Everyone looked at me with an odd expression, but thankfully they ignored it.

"Jamaica. I thought I told you this already? Mom and Dad paid for the whole thing and we got some sweet ass bungalow that sits overtop of the water. It looks awesome," said Emmett happily as he clutched Rosalie's hand sweetly.

"How does that sound to you Bella?" asked Edward as he slid another finger inside of me and curled both fingers, working them in an out of me expertly. I gripped the arms of my chair and glared daggers at him.

"That sounds fabulous," I panted breathlessly in frustration. The quicker Edward moved inside of me, the harder it was for me to maintain any sort of composure, but that was probably his plan. I reached under the table and grasped his forearm forcefully as I was about to climax. Suddenly our waiter showed up and placed our dinner in front of us. Edward just smiled and rubbed my clit while finger fucking me. I was overcome as the waiter looked down at me with an odd expression.

"Thank you," I moaned out in pleasure to both the waiter and Edward, who was sliding my dress back down my thighs and looking at me with a very smug and satisfied grin.

"Are you sure you are feeling okay?" asked Rosalie as she leaned in, looking very concerned.

"I'm fine now. I think I just need to eat something and then I'll be ready for round two," I said as I tuned away from her and winked at Edward.

**Edward POV**

As dinner progressed, I felt slightly bad for what I had done to Bella in the presence of a hundred and fifty of our friends and family, but not because I didn't enjoy it, but because there was nothing I could do about my own frustration right now. She had been remarkably behaved as I teased and tortured her with my fingers, but I knew there was no way I could be even remotely quiet if she was to return to the favor, so I didn't even bother to ask. And even if she suggested it, I would probably have to rebuff her. At least for a little while.

Bella kept looking at me with lust in her eyes and I just wanted to grab her hand and lead her out of the room, to any room and have my way with her, but Rosalie kept reminding me that after dinner I would need to give my speech before the first dance, so I waited patiently and just imagined everything I would do to her when I had her alone. I also started to think more of how I would ask her to move in with me. I wanted to suggest that we buy a place together, with at least three bedrooms and a little closer to her work. I knew exactly what I wanted; now I just had to ask for it, and I didn't want to wait. After all, the wedding was almost done with. Bella said our responsibilities ended with the first dance, so I planned to ask her tonight.

"Are you ready?" asked Bella as she squeezed my hand tentatively. I hadn't even realized that they had cleared our table and it was time for my speech. I was nervous as I stood but Bella held my hand supportively as I cleared my voice and started to speak.

"For Rosalie, my sister, you now hold in your hands the heart of my brother, Emmett, and I am forever indebted to you for coming into our lives and making him as happy as he is. I knew the first moment that Emmett saw you that you were destined to be together because he outright told me. And each day, I see how all encompassing your love truly is and I know that anyone in this room would be lucky to have found one tenth of the love that you two share. So, in the words of James Dillet Freeman, may you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you succeed in all important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say, "I love you!" and take no notice of small faults. For Emmett, Any fool can have a trophy wife. It takes a real man to have a trophy marriage. Don't mess it up big brother," I sighed as I dropped my speech to the table and raised the glass of champagne in front of me. "To Rosalie and Emmett, may your happiness last forever and a day." As everyone else raised their glasses and said repeated 'To Rosalie and Emmett' a big wave of relief washed over me. Rosalie rushed over to me and gave me a gigantic hug through her tears and Emmett patted me on the shoulder in a display of thanks. This was about as emotional as Emmett got with me.

"Good Job, Mr. Author," said Bella as I sat down beside her and waited for them to announce the first dance song. "So, what song did they pick?" she asked curiously, remembering that I had offered up my musical knowledge to provide them with a mix CD filled with possible first dance songs.

"I have no idea. I gave them the CD right before I flew off to New York, so they may not have even used one of them. As long as it's not 'Baby Got Back', I think everyone will consider it a victory." Bella and I walked over to the corner of the room, and I wrapped my arms around her waist as the song began and Emmett and Rosalie moved onto the dance floor. They had actually picked one of my recommendations, and all eyes were on them as the 'All I Want Is You' by U2 filled the room. Bella looked up at me happily and I leaned my head onto her shoulder and began singing the lyrics to her softly.

_You say you want, diamonds on a ring of gold. You say you want, your story to remain untold. But all the promises we make, from the cradle to the grave, when all I want is you._

Bella turned her head towards mine and kissed me passionately, wrapping her hands around my neck and pulling me as close to her as she could manage. I pushed her away for a moment. "Can you give me like two minutes?" I asked nervously.

"Sure," replied Bella with a confused expression on her face. I ran down the hallway to the front desk and immediately booked the best room they had available. It cost me four hundred dollars, but I didn't care if we only used it for twenty five minutes, it was worth it. When I wandered back into the reception hall, Bella was dancing along the floor with my father, who was beaming with excitement. I walked over to them slowly, letting him enjoy his moment, and then tapped on his shoulder gently.

"Can I cut in?" I asked politely as my father released Bella and handed her over to me. He gave me a big grin and I could tell he was very happy that they had done the wedding for Rosalie and Emmett, even if it was originally to keep up appearances for the Cullen family.

"Where did you go?" asked Bella inquisitively as I spun her around the dance floor to the sounds of the band I had suggested. They actually did a pretty decent rendition of 'Alison' by Elvis Costello. I didn't respond to her question. Instead, once the song was over, I went to the head table to grab her purse and shoes and I led her down the hallway and onto the nearest elevator. "What have you done Edward?" asked Bella with a sly grin.

"I'm just finishing what we started before, except now there won't be a room full of guests listening as you get off," I laughed as I grabbed her forcefully and pushed her against the wall of the elevator and started kissing her passionately as my hands ran down her sides to the bottom of her dress.

"We're not doing it in the elevator right? They have security cameras and I don't want to find us on YouTube in a few weeks," sighed Bella as I continued to kiss her, moving down to her neck as I grabbed her thigh and hitched it onto my hip.

"No, I got us a room," I panted as I pulled away from her for a moment as the door opened onto our floor. I pulled her from the elevator and practically dragged her down the hallway to our room. She stopped for a moment because her feet were so sore, so I just picked her up into my arms and carried her the rest of the way.

"Aww… my knight in shining armor," joked Bella as I placed her back on the floor in front of our door. Luckily for us, four hundred bucks had bought a pretty nice suite with a view of the city. I watched intently as Bella walked into the room, reached her hands behind her, slowly unzipping her dress and letting to fall to the floor as she walked over to the windowed wall and looked out. She was now completely naked, and I was at her mercy.

"I think we should move in together," I suddenly blurted out. _What the fuck was I doing?_ I had thought about it for the past few days, and the moment she gets naked I can't help myself and I yell it out. It was like I had Tourettes or something and I couldn't control my voice. I watched as Bella turned around slowly to face me and I took in the exquisite beauty that was her.

"Okay," she said happily as she wandered back towards me and pushed me onto the bed, suddenly straddling me. "My place or yours?" she asked as she bent forward and kissed my neck and started to slide my tuxedo jacket off of me.

"Neither… somewhere new. Somewhere that is just ours," I said breathlessly as she yanked my vest off and started to work on the buttons of my dress shirt.

"How many bedrooms?" she asked seductively as she pushed open my shirt and began kissing her way down my chest.

"As many as you want," I moaned as she flicked my nipple with her tongue. "Whatever you want, you got it." She pulled me up by my shoulders and yanked my clothes from beneath me. Sadly, I was still wearing pants, but Bella seemed enthusiastic to rectify that situation. She quickly hopped off of me and tugged on my belt, dropping it to the floor and making quick work of my pants and boxers, which she slid down to my ankles and I kicked off excitedly.

"Are you sure?" she asked as she kneeled before me and started to lick my hard shaft gently.

"Most definitely," I groaned as she took my entire length into her hot wet mouth. I nodded my head continuously as Bella worked her oral magic on me, licking, sucking and even grazing me gently with her teeth. When it became completely unbearable, I softly pushed her from me and practically threw her onto the oversized bed.

"Can we get a bed this big?" she asked as I began to kiss her breasts and explore her body with my hands.

"Bigger," I said quickly as I returned my mouth to her eager body. Her hands ran up into my hair and were tugging gently, when I couldn't bear it anymore and had to be inside her.

"Can we get one of those huge showers that we can have sex in?" she sighed, as I positioned myself between her legs and held her legs up by her ankles, absolutely salivating at what lay before me.

"We can have five of them. Honestly Bella, whatever you want, we'll have it. If there isn't an apartment or house with it, I will build it for you. Anything you want… it's yours." I said as I slid myself inside her wet heat. Bella was finally silent. There were no more questions and the world was right again as I maneuvered myself in and out of her quickly. I leaned down and buried my face into the crook of neck and began licking and sucking her skin softly as she began moaning louder and louder with each movement. I watched intensely as her hands gripped the sheets of the bed and I knew she was about to come for me.

She looked beautiful as she arched her back beneath me and squeezed every muscle in her body, keeping me buried inside of her as she climaxed, and I followed right after, exploding deep inside of her. I fell forward slightly and pulled Bella into my arms. I was officially the happiest guy in the entire world. Probably even more than my brother who was downstairs dancing with his bride. I looked at Bella and she was glowing; she looked the most content I could ever recall, and I had remembered every single thing about her, like I had a photographic memory.

"So, what neighborhood do you want to move to?" she asked as she laid her head on my chest and snuggled close to me.

"I don't care as long as we're together."


	30. Moving On Up

**A/N: So this is one of those transitional chapters, filled with miscellaneous stuff to move the story along. There will be more lemons / drama in the near future. I'm glad everyone enjoyed Edward's word vomit / asking Bella to move in with him and the lemons. I actually have a difficult time writing them, even though I usually have a strong visual in mind.**

**Bella POV**

We were lying comfortably on Edward's leather couch, completely naked, and basking in the glow of our afternoon love making session, when I felt his hands reach for my mine and his fingers slid up and down my palm sensually. It had been two days since the wedding, and we had both decided to skip work today. When I called Alice, she insisted that she didn't mind, but in the back of my mind, I felt like I should be doing something more productive than fucking my boyfriend on his couch.

"I think we should start looking for our new place," I said confidently as my head fell onto his shoulder softly.

"Okay. What do we want to look for?" he asked curiously as he reached for his notebook and pen on the coffee table in front of us. "Well, you already know I want to buy something instead of renting, so let's make a list of what we want, and then we can contact an real estate agent to find us something good," he suggested with a broad smile. I just nodded my head and started to think of things a good home should have.

"At least two full bathrooms, one of them preferably an ensuite off our huge bedroom," I said confidently as I kissed his chest.

"Stop with the kissing and focus," sighed Edward as he wrote down the suggestions I had made. "We need a big kitchen so you can make me all of those delicious Grandma Swan recipes." I just nodded, knowing he wouldn't get them as often as he hoped.

"Umm… a parking spot or preferably a garage for the Volvo."

"Yeah, we could use that. Would you prefer something modern or something older?" asked Edward as I thought hard about the neighborhoods I would prefer to live in and what they offered.

"I want an older house with modern stuff inside. I don't want to have to fix it up." I said happily as I scanned the list which Edward had written. He wanted at least 3 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, with a big kitchen and living room. "What about a backyard or a deck or something?"

"What about it? It's not like we have kids or a dog. I think we can live without them for now, don't you?" he asked as he raised his eye brow curiously. "Is there something you need to tell me Bella?" he asked, suddenly turning all serious.

"Oh, god no. No babies." I screamed forcefully, probably a little too forcefully in fact. "I just thought it might be nice to be able to barbecue on a porch or something." I suddenly watched as Edward's face fell slightly, we had never talked about children and he probably assumed I didn't ever want any. "I mean, babies are good. One day I want babies, but not today, if that is what you are worried about."

"We just never discussed it and when you shrieked about no babies, I thought maybe you didn't want them," he said with a tender smile. I grabbed his face in my hands, kissing him passionately and letting my tongue graze across his lips.

"I want babies, when I'm married." I watched as Edward simply nodded his head in agreement.

"Me too," he sighed happily, as he went back to focusing on our list. It was only a couple of minutes later that we had a complete list prepared and Edward called up an old family friend who was a Real Estate Agent. "Charlotte's going to get some listings together for us and hopefully we'll go see a few places this weekend, okay?" he asked as he tried to lift himself from the couch.

"Yeah, that works. My lease is up in September, so hopefully we can move before you leave on your book tour," I said as I stood with him and we both wandered into his bathroom. "Shower time?" I watched as Edward nodded and turned on the shower, pulling me in with him.

It was only five days later when we stood in front of a fairly large townhouse only a few blocks from Edward's apartment. We were checking out the first place. Our first place potentially. Charlotte was a lovely older woman in her mid fifties who had assisted Alice and Edward in purchasing their first apartments. She would also be our agent for selling Edward's current apartment. She led Edward and I through all the rooms of the first place, and even though it met all the criteria we had specified, neither of us was in love with it.

"Next," said Edward happily as grabbed my hand and led me out to his Volvo. The second place was a single family home, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. It was huge.

"How much is it?" I asked curiously after we had checked out the main floor and were heading upstairs.

"$750,000" replied Charlotte, without a hint of wavering in her voice. The moment she said it though, I was taken aback. If Edward hadn't been holding my hand, I might have fallen down the stairs.

"Really? That seems high," I said in frustration. I didn't want Edward and me to buy something so extravagant. There was no way we could afford such a house.

"I'll give you guys a moment," said Charlotte as she showed us the upstairs quickly and then headed back to the main floor.

"Are you okay Bella?" asked Edward as I glanced out the picture window in the bedroom to the small backyard.

"$750,000 is just crazy. We can't afford that Edward," I sighed as I stared at the little patio set below us, where I could picture Edward cooking up steaks on the barbecue while our little dog ran around in circles on a small patch of grass.

"Bella… of course we can afford it. I should get at least $300,000 for my place, which is already paid in full. Plus, I have all my trust money which I have access too. $400,000 is couch change in comparison to what I have stocked away." I looked at him incredulously because I never once thought about using his money to buy our place. "And there is the money from my book."

I just shook my head in disagreement. "I don't want to use your money to buy us a place."

"Get real Bella. Do you want to get a mortgage for thirty years and pay interest on the house? Then we'll be paying like double for the house over time. It's ridiculous. I'm buying us a house, not necessarily this one because I don't like the bathrooms or the kitchen, but I'm buying us a house." Edward was not budging on this issue, so I let it go for the time being and thought about steering us towards a smaller place that cost considerably less.

When we walked back to the main floor, we both told Charlotte about our concerns with the home and she suggested another one that was just down the street. As we pulled up in front of it, it looked very cute. There was a small front lawn, with wrought iron fencing and a few little trees and bushes on the lawn.

"It's charming," I said to Edward as he led me out of the car and into the front yard.

"It's a lot less expensive than the last one Bella." He said in an effort to perk me up a bit because he knew full well I was still pissed about him insisting on buying us a house.

"This one is a three bedroom, three bath townhome that costs only $450,000," said Charlotte as we walked up to the front door and waited for her to open it. All the rooms were fairly open and spacious , with big windows at the front and back of the home. There was a three sided fireplace that separated the dining room from the living room, and the entire kitchen had been remodeled recently. It wasn't gigantic, but I could see myself cooking in there.

As Charlotte left us alone to explore the house unhindered, I actually began to see myself living here. Edward wandered into a bedroom on the main floor that had been converted into an office. It had floor to ceiling bookshelves that would be perfect for his books and CD's. I could easily picture him sitting a desk and typing away on his next novel there.

"I like it," he said happily as we headed up to the third floor to check out the other two bedrooms. The master bedroom was huge and featured an ensuite, but the odd thing was, there was a small circular staircase in the walk in closet. I watched carefully as Edward climbed the stairs and exited out a small door. "You have to come see this Bella," he laughed as I reluctantly followed him. When I reached the top, I was surprised to find a lovely rooftop patio. There were a few small plants and chairs, but it had potential and was a pleasant surprise. "What do you think now?"

"I'm actually wondering if any of our neighbors would see us if we had sex up here," I laughed as he pulled me into his arms and offered up a sweet kiss. "I like it, a lot."

When we went downstairs to join Charlotte, we agreed that even though this was our first choice, we wanted to see a few more over the next couple of days. She agreed with us completely, and we decided to head back to my place for the rest of the evening. We saw 10 more possibilities over the next week, and Edward and I finally agreed that none of them compared to the house with the rooftop terrace, so while I was at work on the Monday, Edward put in an offer on it, and even though I was still reluctant to have him buy us a house, I was pleased it was a step in the right direction.

**Edward POV**

Bella was certainly being stubborn about the money situation. I honestly felt like sometimes, she didn't remember that I had tens of millions of dollars put away, but then again, we never discussed the actual figure and I wanted to keep it like that. When we decided to put an offer down on the Hyde Park townhouse, with the rooftop patio and small backyard, I was glad she finally relented and agreed to let me buy it. After all, my parents had bought my current place, so the money from the sale of it was just going to pay for seventy five percent of the new place. I figured I would only need to shell out about $150,000 for the new townhouse, and that was basically chump change in the grand scheme of things.

"So, what happened?" asked Bella excitedly as she bounced into the living room of my apartment after her day at work.

"Nothing yet. We made the offer and we are waiting on their response," I said, my voice brimming with anticipation. Bella looked a little crestfallen. She had clearly hoped to get good news already. "Relax babe, if they don't like our offer, we can always try to counter offer, or even put an offer on that loft apartment we liked over by the lake."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I was just hoping to hear something already." I gave her a tender hug and went back to making dinner for us. The morning after the wedding, Bella and I ran out and got keys made for each other for our current apartments. It was clearly a temporary thing, but we were both pleased to know we could come and go as we liked, and tonight, we were staying at my place. "What's for dinner?" she asked curiously as she watched me chopping red peppers.

"Chicken Fajitas," I said as I caught her broad smile. She loved when I made fajitas, which was probably why I did it. I was hoping for a call that said we got the place and this was going to be my celebration dinner.

"Did you know you have a message on your cell phone?" asked Bella from the bedroom as she changed into a tight tank top and shorts. It was almost July and the heat and humidity in the city was unbearable. I wasn't looking forward to packing all of our crap in the heat and really hoped we ended up with a cold snap on moving day.

"No, can you check it for me?" I asked as I tossed the peppers into the frying pan with the chicken. She strolled casually into the room a few minutes later with a slight frown on her face. I immediately thought the message was from Charlotte and we didn't get the apartment. Then I wondered if she was being sneaky and we did get it, but she was pulling my leg. "What?"

"They counter-offered. A slightly higher price and we pay all the closing costs," she said with a slight smirk.

"How much?" We had discussed how high we were willing to go during dinner the night before when we agreed to put an offer in, the highest was $415,000. Bella still winced when we discussed the price of the house, but finally acquiesced after I began kissing her and wouldn't stop until she said yes.

"They want $410,000," she said as she practically jumped into my arms. "I'm calling Charlotte now to agree, right?" she asked, verifying that we were still on the same page. I just nodded my head and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"You want this right?" I asked nervously, realizing that I suddenly wanted to make sure she wanted everything that I wanted. Then again, it was only a week ago when we discussed having babies, so I should have known that moving in wasn't an issue.

"Definitely," she said with a big smile as she walked into the living room and began talking to Charlotte. It was only an hour later when Charlotte called back telling us they had accepted the offer and the closing date was the middle of August.

"A month and a half." Bella kept repeating this over and over again after we finished our call. I could tell she was now officially stressed. We only had a month and a half to pack up all of our stuff.

"Don't worry… it will get done. We'll hire a moving company to do all the hard work and we'll just pack the boxes. Don't' stress," I said to her later that night as we lay on the couch and watched 'The Amazing Race' from the night before on my TIVO. "You do realize, we should probably go to dinner with my parents and let them know."

"Yeah, I figured as much," she said with a tentative smile. "Make the arrangements and let me know when. I'll be there."

I ended up calling them the next afternoon and trying to schedule a time for Bella and I to come out and see them. They were coming into the city on Friday night for dinner with Rosalie and Emmett who were due back from their honeymoon any day now and invited us to tag along. I explained the situation to Bella and she was more than happy with the arrangements because she wanted to see Rosalie again, and didn't think my parents would be able to object as much if there was company present.

I knew my parents wouldn't object to Bella and I moving in together. If anything, they would probably start quizzing me about when I was going to ask her to marry me. I could even picture my mother's response, _'A house is a big deal Edward. Don't you think you should have a ring on her finger first?'_


	31. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, I know everyone was excited to get a new chapter, so here it is. Hopefully I do not disappoint my legions of fans! LOL.**

**Secretreader25 – The story is not coming to a close as quickly as you may think. I just haven't been updating as quickly as I would like because I got a little wrapped up in my new story 'American Girl' I need to find a better sense of balance between the two until this one is done.**

**Thanks to everyone for their wonderful reviews. Time will move quickly in the next chapter because I am trying to move ahead to the book tour / model shoot in New York. **

**Bella POV**

"Come on Bella," called Edward as he paced nervously around the living room waiting for me. "We're gonna be late." He had been a little out of sorts ever since we were invited to join his parents for dinner with Rosalie and Emmett. Whereas, I was excited to see Rose and discuss the honeymoon, Edward was nervous to tell his parents that we were moving in together. The entire ride to the restaurant was silent, except for the music on the radio, so I reached over and gently took his hand in mind in an effort to reassure him.

"If your parents don't approve of us moving in together, will you change your mind?" I asked nervously as we pulled into a parking spot at the restaurant.

"No," said Edward calmly.

"Then stop worrying. It's not like I care what they think," I said as I released his hand and got out of the car. When we finally walked in, my face fell as I realized Edward was right, we were late.

"Bella," shouted Rosalie happily as she pulled me in for a big hug. "It's so good to see you."

"You too Rose, I see you got some sun down in Jamaica," I said with a slight laugh. She practically looked like George Hamilton she was so tanned. At least she didn't come home with some hideous cornrows held together by seashells. She wouldn't be able to face my wrath if that was the case. Edward and Emmett shared a pleasant exchange as Esme and Carlisle simply offered me their hand to shake. The expressions on their faces were one of annoyance and I immediately regretted the fact that we were late.

"So, how was Jamaica?" asked Edward in mock interest as he held my hand tightly under the table. Emmett launched into a very long winded story about the weather, swimming, snorkeling and every other thing possible he could say about Jamaica. Every now and then Rosalie would correct him about something, but he just nodded his head and kissed her hand sweetly.

"It wasn't until the last day that Rosalie fell asleep on the beach while I was out playing a round of golf," he said with a chuckle as Rosalie glared at him angrily. Suddenly her demeanor changed drastically and she turned to me happily.

"We took so many pictures, we'll have to get together soon to show you," she said as the waiter came along to take our order.

"Do you have a feeling that going through their photos will be like watching slides with Patty & Selma?" I whispered to Edward with a laugh.

"Will you mind if I step out to get ice cream for a few hours?" asked Edward with a grin, clearly having caught my Simpsons reference. I should know better by now than to throw a reference like that into our conversation and think he won't get it. It wasn't long before the conversation flowed easily and Edward decided to break our news to everyone. He squeezed my hand tightly and looked at me for support, which I offered with a gentle kiss. "So… Bella and I have some big news."

"You're pregnant?" screamed out Rosalie in excitement.

"Fuck no," I screamed, not remembering our present company. "Sorry for my cursing. No, we are not pregnant," I said with a sigh. I looked at Edward and neither of us was expecting that comment.

"We're moving in together," he said sweetly as he stared at only me, reminding me again why I loved him so much.

"And she's not pregnant right?" asked Emmett with a laugh.

"No," sighed Edward in frustration. I took a sip from my gin and tonic and looked over at his parents for their reaction. I was pleasantly surprised to see two smiles.

"That's wonderful Edward," said Esme as she stood and offered us each a hug. "It's about time someone in this family did something in the proper order." She shot a glance over to Emmett who just shrugged his shoulders, because he no longer cared about what was proper. He had Rosalie and that was all that mattered to him. "When's the move?"

"Mid August. Our offer got accepted a few days ago on this really cool townhouse downtown. Bella's lease is up in September and we wanted to get settled in before I have to leave for the book tour in early September," Edward said with a smile. I squeezed his hand and he glanced at me with a relieved expression. He was clearly glad that our news had gone over a lot better than the 'Emmett and Rosalie got hitched in Vegas' news that his parents faced only five months ago.

The rest of the evening was surprisingly relaxed. I had never felt as comfortable around Edwards' parents as I did that night, so it was a big step forward for our relationship. Esme pulled me into conversations about decorating for the apartment while Rosalie expressed her interest in doing some remodeling around Emmett's house, which he was vehemently against. He apparently was pretty keen on the fact that his basement was one big game room and Rosalie wasn't.

As we were leaving the restaurant at the end of the night, Edward was held back by his parents to talk for a moment, so I wandered ahead into the parking lot with Rosalie and Emmett.

"So seriously, when are we going to get together? You guys should come to our place like next weekend to see the photos. We also brought some awesome rum to share with everyone. I'll call Alice and convince her to bring Jasper with her," said Rosalie excitedly as we stood outside Emmett's Audi and I peered over to watch Edward talking to his parents.

"Yeah, that sounds good. Next weekend. We'll be there," I said distractedly as I noticed Edward come back to join us, without his parents. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine," he replied anxiously as he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the Volvo.

"I'll call you later in the week to finalize plans," yelled Rosalie as she stepped into her car and shut the door.

"What plans?" asked Edward curiously as he opened the door for me and I slid into my seat. I told him all about going to Em & Rose's for the photo review and made sure to establish that the rum was the real reason we were going. He just nodded his head and we drove in silence back to my soon to be former apartment.

"Okay, what's wrong? You've been distracted ever since you finished talking to your parents," I asked as we walked into the apartment and I immediately started to unzip my dress and walked into the bedroom.

"Nothing's wrong," said Edward as he followed closely behind me and began kissing my neck as I dropped my dress onto the floor and stood before him in my bra and panties. "We're just gonna go out to lunch when they are in the city next week sometime," he said casually as he slowly slid the strap of my bra down my shoulder and began peppering kisses along my where the strap had just laid.

"Then why are you so quiet?" I asked as he moved his kisses across my collarbone and down my chest.

"I'm quiet because I'm kissing the girl I love. Now stop asking so many questions and unbutton my shirt," he said with a sly grin and I followed his demands.

"Why do they want to meet with you?" I asked curiously, even though I was clearly aggravating Edward. He pulled away and unbuckled his belt and started to remove his pants, but it wasn't in a sexual way anymore. It was more like he was getting changed after coming home from a long day at the office.

"I have no idea Bella, they didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry, you just seem different since the conversation ended," I said as kissed his chest lightly and moved my hands down his body gently. "I didn't mean to piss you off. How about we forget I ever said anything?" I asked as I teased his cock with my hand through his boxer shorts. His head bent back slightly, and I knew he had already agreed.

**Edward POV**

Bella certainly had her ways to distract me from being upset, and I wasn't complaining one bit as she pushed me onto the bed and straddled my waist, grinding her lacy panties into my throbbing hard on. She leaned forward and began biting gently on my ear as I reached my hand behind her and unclasped her bra, letting it fall from her luscious breasts. As she went to sit up straight, I pulled her back down to me so that I could suck on her nipples. I heard her moan in pleasure as I bit down and she suddenly started running her nails down my chest, scratching gently.

I wrapped my arms around her and rolled us over until she was on her back and I was hovering just inches above her. I went back to sucking and licking her breasts while my free hand wandered down between her legs, pushing her panties to the side and sliding two fingers inside of her.

"Fuck," she panted breathlessly as my fingers penetrated her quickly and she grasped the pillow on which her head lay. Bella pulled her legs back so that her knees were bent, and I had better access to her wetness. I stopped for a moment and yanked her panties off quickly before I bent down and started to lick her wetness eagerly with my tongue. She was still gripping the pillow for support and when I noticed her put it over her head as she was writhing in pleasure, I pulled it from her and threw it across the room. I began fiercely rubbing her clit with one finger as I drove my tongue deep inside her, curling it gently as she moaned even louder. Her legs started to shake and I knew she was about to cum for me so I started work faster and harder on her. It was only a few moments later when she screamed out my name and released all over my tongue. If I wasn't in love with her before, I definitely was now.

Bella grabbed my hair forcefully and pulled me up from between her legs. She kissed me passionately and grabbed a condom from her dresser, ripping it open and sliding it on me eagerly. I grabbed her legs and pulled them up till her ankles rested on my shoulders, and I drove myself into her swiftly. We moved together almost effortlessly for what seemed like an eternity, until I let go of her legs and she dropped them down beside me. I suddenly felt Bella contract the muscles in her body and I knew she was coming, and I released with her as she tightened herself around my cock.

When I rolled off of her a few moments later, she moved beside me and placed her head gently on my chest, running her fingers gently down me. I glanced down at her and she was smiling happily and it made me twice as happy to know how much she loved me. I kissed her forehead gently and pulled the blankets up over us, falling asleep quickly.

The rest of the week was beyond boring. Bella had made plans for us to visit Rosalie and Emmett's place on Saturday night with Alice and Jasper to check out their honeymoon photos. It seemed like the purest form of torture to me, and I was not looking forward to it. But first, I had to deal with the lunch date I was having with my parents on Friday. I had spent Sunday at Bella's helping her pack, also known as 'Operation throw out Bella's junk' because I quickly discovered that she was a pack rat. Her apartment may have looked nice but packed in every single drawer and cupboard was the mother lode of useless junk. During the week, when I wasn't busy working on an outline for my second novel, or answering emails from Olivia regarding the book tour, I was packing away all my non-essentials. Packing was officially the most tedious thing in the world. At least I didn't have to sort through everything meticulously and wonder if I had used it within the last year, like I forced Bella to do.

As I walked down the street to meet my parents on the Friday afternoon, I was overcome by a feeling of dread. My mother had refused to tell me what they wanted to talk to me about, and all week I had random thoughts running through my mind, it certainly didn't help my nervousness at all. When I wandered in to the restaurant, my parents had yet to arrive so I downed a quick shot of whiskey at the bar and waited for them. They arrived right on time, as per usual, and they were both dressed fairly casual. I offered up a gentle hug to my mom and a handshake to my father before we got seated at the table. I reached for my menu nervously and decided on a salad, not really having much of an appetite.

"So, how are things going with the move?" asked my mother anxiously after we had ordered our food and were patiently waiting for our drinks.

"It's going alright. There's a lot to pack, but I think things will be fine by the time the 15th of August rolls around," I responded as I took a sip of the water on the table. "So let's cut to the chase. What's going on?" Esme darted her eyes at Carlisle and I saw him reach into his pocket and pull out a small box, sliding it across the table to me. My eyes practically bugged out of my head, because I knew exactly what it was.

"It's Great Grandma Cullen's engagement ring," said my dad with a solemn voice. I picked up the box tentatively and looked at the ring inside. It was as stunning as I remembered from when my mother had shown me when I was younger. It was a platinum ring, with a round center stone that had to be at least 2 carats. Encircling the main diamond was a collection of smaller diamonds. I wanted to smile at my parents, but I couldn't grasp why they were giving it to me.

"You might not be ready to marry Bella now, but you will be one day. So we want you to have it, for her," said Esme as she started to tear up a bit. "Emmett never gave us the option, so want to give you the chance to give it to Bella, if you want to." I stared down at the ring in my hands and I knew I wanted to ask her, at some point, I just didn't know when.

"Thanks," I replied with a small grin at my parents. "You know, Bella thinks you guys don't even like her." Esme, Carlisle and I all laughed happily for a moment and Esme started to assure me that that was completely not the case; they just hadn't had much time to get to know her thanks to all the wedding stuff with Rosalie and Emmett. I put the ring back in the box and left it on the table for the rest of our meal. I would glance down at it often and think about how I would eventually propose to her, and when lunch was finally over, I slid the box into my pocket and thanked my parents. "Just so you know, don't expect me to call tomorrow saying we're engaged. We've discussed it and we're not ready for that stage yet, but I will be keeping it and using it when the time is right."

When I got back to my apartment later in the day, I searched around for somewhere to hide it where Bella wouldn't find it. I settled on hiding in an old pair of socks at the back of one of my dresser drawers. I'd put it somewhere safer when we were almost done packing, but for now, it seemed like a good location. I was just about to close the drawer when Bella unlocked the door and came into the apartment.

"Edward, are you here?" she called as she dropped her laptop bag and purse on the dining room table and came further into the apartment.

"Hold on a sec," I called from the bedroom as I shoved a few more pairs of socks over the ones I had hidden the ring box in and wandered back into the living room. She was pulling a beer out of the fridge and looked tired. "Rough day?" I asked as I walked up behind her and rubbed her shoulders tenderly.

"Yeah, Alice had me running around like crazy trying to book everything for our photo shoot in New York in September. I think we might even be there when you are for your book tour. That would be sweet," she said as she leaned her head back and I kissed her lips softly. "How did the meeting go with the folks?"

"Surprisingly well. They actually do like you by the way," I said eagerly hoping to deflect the conversation from why they really wanted to meet me. Luckily, Bella was too tired to even care. She headed into my bedroom and changed quickly into her standard uniform of my boxers and a tight tank top and threw herself on the couch, flipping to an episode of Gilmore Girls on Lifetime.

"Again?" I asked Bella as she laughed happily at the episode that was on. Even I had seen it, although the more I thought about it, the more I realized I had watched it during our little break up.

"Edward, don't make fun of my guilty pleasures. I don't make fun of you being an asshole," she said with a sly grin and a laugh. Oh, she has jokes.


	32. Come Pick Me Up

**A/N: So I'm sure you were all hoping for an update earlier today, but life happens. This weekend will be sparse with updates since I have my stepdaughter and her best friend here all weekend. They are fifteen and addicted to Twilight, so I think I'll be watching the movie repeatedly, playing the board game and eating lots of cookies. I'll try to update as quickly as possible though, but enjoy this one first!**

**Whoawhoa – I think it is honestly freaky that the wedding ring I selected looks like yours. Must be a gorgeous ring! **

**Bella POV**

I was bored. I was sitting on my old couch, waiting, and waiting was really boring. I couldn't listen to music, my stereo and CD's were all packed. I had even accidently left my iPod in Edward's car the night before. I couldn't watch TV, my cable had been shut off and most of all, I couldn't call my boyfriend because he had left his cell phone here on Thursday night when we was helping me finish packing. The move had made us forgetful in addition to stressed. I flipped open my cell phone and looked at the time for the 30th time that morning. It was almost eleven. Edward and the movers were supposed to be here between ten and eleven to collect all of my things, after they had picked up his.

It was only on Thursday that Edward and I closed on the house and got the keys. We didn't even have time to revel in our new home because we were both behind on our packing, thanks to our increasingly busy workloads. Alice had been gracious enough to let me off on Monday though, knowing how tired I would be and she kept insisting that she could handle any major incidents. I was anticipating a call from her before work even started on Monday morning. I stood from the couch and starting pacing around the room anxiously. I opened all the drawers and cupboards again to make sure everything was empty. Rosalie had picked up the last of her belongings the weekend before, so I wandered through her room again to make sure there wasn't even a dust bunny left behind.

"Let's go sexy," shouted Edward as he wandered into the apartment looking for me. I was so excited I ran over to him and threw my arms around his neck, kissing him all over his face. "Nice to see you too babe."

"I've been pulling my hair out over here. Its mind numbing when there is nothing you can do in your own apartment."

"It's not your apartment anymore Bella," he said with a smirk as the first moving men came into the apartment with their gear and started moving some boxes. Edward shouted random instructions to them and we each grabbed a box of fragile items and carried them down to the Volvo, where I found Edward's computer resting comfortably in the back seat. He even strapped the CPU in with the seat belt.

"Honestly Edward, it's a computer not a baby," I said with a hearty laugh.

"Next to you, it's the most important thing in my life, so shut up Bella," he said with mock anger. I just rolled my eyes and headed back into the apartment to bring down another box. It was less than an hour later that my old apartment lay empty and we were already driving to our new home. It had such a nice ring to it. It wasn't his place or my place, it was our home. I should get one of those cheesy plaques that says _'home is where the heart is'_ just so I can recall this moment and laugh every time I see it.

We pulled into our driveway and I stayed in the car, I couldn't move. "Are you okay?" asked Edward as he went to get out of the car and noticed my hesitance.

"Yeah, this is just such a big deal ya know?" I said nervously. "Next thing you know we'll be living here with babies and puppies and Emmett and Rosalie will be over every other day for a barbecue or something like that."

"Is that what you want?" he asked tentatively as he reached for my hand supportively.

"Yeah, but this is the first step towards it. I'm just being emotional because I'm finally growing up." I said as I opened the door and stepped out of the car. We walked up to the front door and after I unlocked it, Edwards swooped me up into his arms and carried me in. "Aren't you supposed to do that on the wedding night or something?"

"I'm not allowed to carry the woman I love into our new home?" he asked with a laugh, as I smiled at him happily and nodded my head. I was about to respond when suddenly one of the movers appeared behind us and was asking Edward some questions, so he put me back down on the floor and I wandered through the house slowly, appreciating every single thing about it. Before I knew it, almost all of our boxes and furniture were in the house. Edward had directed the movers on where to put the furniture, with everything else we weren't sure about being put into the garage for the time being. I wandered into the kitchen and ripped open a box and started to unpack.

"It's not going anywhere," said Edward as he came into the room when I had already emptied six boxes of kitchen supplies.

"Yeah, but I can't make dinner here until we have the kitchen unpacked. I can hardly move in here," I said with a hint of frustration. Edward wandered over to me and made me stop what I had been doing by wrapping his hands around my waist and kissing my neck.

"Take it easy. We'll get it all unpacked. I'll order up some Chinese for dinner and you don't have to worry about it. Unpacking shouldn't be so stressful Bella." He was completely right. I was working myself up over nothing. If we didn't get certain boxes unpacked for weeks, it's not like it mattered. "Why don't you come upstairs and help me make the bed?"

"When did it get delivered?" I asked with a hint of surprise to my voice. We had gone out together in mid July and picked out a brand new bed for ourselves, in the biggest size possible. Other than the house and china hutch that we found that matched my Grandma Swan's old dining room set, we hadn't really bought anything extensive for the new place.

"About an hour ago. You were wandering around in the backyard. They put it all together and now all we have to do is put the sheets and pillows on it," said Edward, with a glint in his eyes that said that there would be a lot more put down on the bed than the sheets. My train of thought completely changed from stressing about the boxes, to getting him naked.

"The bed's not going anywhere," I said, recalling his previous words about the boxes as I walked towards the living room, dropping my shorts and shirt behind me as I went. Edward followed slowly behind me and stopped as I sat on the couch and motioned for him to come closer, and being the good boy he is, he sat down beside me and pulled me up onto his lap.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked huskily as he started nibbling on my ear lobe and I tried to yank his shirt over his head.

"Well, I figured we'd probably christen every room in the house, so let's start here," I said with an evil grin as I started to suck on his neck. His hands ran down my back and were about to unclasp my bra when we heard a knock on the door.

"For the love of all that's holy. Stay put, I'll go find out who it is," he said in frustration as he grabbed his shirt and bounded down the stairs to the front door. Luckily, you could not see the living room from there, because I did as instructed and stayed put in my underwear. "Bella, my parents are here," yelled Edward up the stairs. _Oh Shit. _I ran around the room trying to find my clothes and ran into our powder room to get dressed. These people had the worst fucking timing. When I finally left the bathroom, I flushed the toilet to make it seem like I had actually been busy in there.

"Carlisle, Esme, so good to see you again," I said nervously as Edward glanced up at me apologetically.

"We come bearing gifts," said Esme as she lifted up a bag of Chinese food. Since they brought food I figured I could forgive them.

"Wonderful, come on in. I actually just unpacked the plates a little while ago, so come over to the kitchen," I said as I guided her from the living room to the kitchen. I watched curiously as Esme glanced around the room, checking out all the details. She was probably trying to figure how to remodel or redecorate it. "Edward, why don't you give your parents the grand tour while I put dinner on the table?"

**Edward POV**

Cock blocked by Chinese Food yet again. It was even worse because it was my parents who were bringing it this time and they seemed to want to stay. As I walked them back down to the main floor to show them my office and the laundry room, I suddenly felt them looking at me expectantly.

"Have you asked her yet?" asked my mother as I showed them where I would be putting everything in my office once we were settled. The only things in here right now were my desk, computer and a huge assortment of boxes.

"No. Don't you think I would have called you to announce it or invited you out to dinner or something?" I asked anxiously. They knew when they gave me the ring that I was in no hurry to propose and that I would be waiting for the right time. I think they just assumed I was talking out of my ass and would have already done it. "Can we not talk about it for the rest of the evening?" I watched as my parents both nodded and I then led them up to the third floor to show them the guestroom, bathroom and master bedroom.

"The place is nice Edward, but what's with the stairs in the closet?" asked my father as he stepped into the master closet in confusion.

"There's a rooftop patio. There's nothing up there right now, but I'm sure we'll be putting up some chairs, lights or something like that. Like every other room here we haven't really set anything in stone." I was about to explain to them that I had thought of asking Bella to marry me up there, but suddenly she appeared beside us.

"Everything's ready. Is the tour done?"

"Yes and the place is beautiful Bella. You and Edward certainly have good taste," said my mother with a wink as she walked passed me and down the stairs. Bella threw me a confused glance and I did my best to ignore it. Dinner was more talkative than usual. My father was actually interested in my career and Bella and Esme chatted easily about the house and their jobs. Once dinner was finished, I assumed that my parents would be leaving, but instead the conversation moved into the living room and my parents seemed to be pulling Bella into a million conversations about herself.

"So, tell us about your family Bella?" asked my mom as she moved a few boxes off our love seat and sat down. Bella glared at me, looking for help, and I didn't know what to do.

"Umm… well my dad is the police chief in the small Washington town where I grew up. My parents aren't together. To say my mother was flighty was probably an understatement," said Bella anxiously. I sat down beside and wrapped my arm around her shoulder supportively. "They aren't together and haven't been for a long time. To be honest, I don't really have much of a relationship with my mom, but I'm pretty close to my dad, so that's good." She offered up a brave smile, but I knew her family was a touchy subject for her. We rarely discussed it. I noticed my mother was about to ask another question, but I gave her a look that told her to 'let it go' and she did.

Thankfully my parents left a little while later, with no further mention of the family situation. I know my mom was just curious about the girl she hoped would be her daughter in law, but I could sense Bella's tension when they left, so I quickly plugged in the stereo and turned on some Ryan Adams. I fished in a few boxes and found some candles and lit them in the living room and turned off the lights. I found her up in the bedroom and I brought her back down to the main floor with me, just as 'Come Pick Me Up' was pouring from the speakers.

"What are you doing?" she asked nervously as she gripped my hand and we walked into the living room.

"I feel bad about tonight, so we're going to dance," I said as I grabbed her by her waist and pulled her close to me.

"You know this isn't the most romantic song right?" she asked as she kissed my cheek and followed my lead around our box filled living room. "After all the lyrics are 'take me out, fuck me up, steal all my records, screw all my friends' That's some romantic choice."

"Forget the lyrics. Just listen to the music. Cripes, I'm trying to be sweet and romantic here baby," I said as I kissed her again, but this time it was to silence her. We danced around the living room for a while and it was heavenly. "I love you."

"I love you too Edward," she replied as she put her head on my shoulder.

"So, I leave in like two weeks, what are you going to do without me?" I asked nervously. We hadn't had a chance to fret about the separation we were going to face for three weeks, which would officially be the longest we had been apart since we started dating in January. I was anxious about it, but if Bella was, she never let on.

"I'm going to paint every room pink, sleep in all your clothes, and make Rosalie come over every night and eat Ben and Jerry's with me cause I'll be so lonely without you. I'll make playlists for my iPod with the most depressing songs, so there'll be a lot of Fiona Apple," she said with a laugh. She was probably joking about the pink rooms, but I knew she was planning to spend a lot of time with Alice and Rose while I was gone, and I was relieved."I'll probably watch a lot of Gilmore Girls and the Simpsons too."

"It really sucks that I'll be in New York while you are in Seattle. I was hoping our schedules would work out," I said as I recalled my meeting earlier in the week with Olivia where she informed me that our time in Seattle was going to be longer than initially thought because of some promotional events they were dragging me to, so New York was delayed by three days and Bella would be gone by then.

"It's okay. I'll have Rose and Alice with me. Maybe we'll even get out and see some of the city," she said, trying to be positive about the separation, but her voice cracked a little bit and I could finally sense that she was going to miss me. As Bella laid her head on my shoulder, I felt her tense up a bit. I should have just proposed; it wouldn't be so awkward right now and I'd probably be getting laid.

"I shouldn't have brought it up. We still have two weeks until I leave, so let's not worry about it. Do you want to go to bed?" I felt like a fucking idiot for bringing up our separation when she was already on edge about the move and her family. When she nodded her head, I blew out all the candles and led her up to our bedroom, never once releasing her hand. We hadn't even made the bed, but we didn't care. I threw some pillows in place and grabbed a few blankets from one of the open boxes as Bella got changed into a tank top and a pair of my boxers and I stripped down to my shorts and climbed into bed beside her.

"Thanks for making me feel better," she whispered to me as she laid her head on my chest and kissed it softly.

"I didn't make you feel better, I made it worse. Why don't I just bring up other shitty topics like Seth or our two week break up," I said with a small laugh. Unfortunately, she didn't find it very funny.

"Don't worry about it. Three weeks isn't that long. I went twenty four years without you, so I know I can handle three weeks. You're worth the wait since I am desperately and madly in love with you Edward Cullen." I ran my fingers through her hair sweetly as a big smile overcame my face.

"Thanks for making me feel better."


	33. One is the Lonliest Number

**A/N: I bet everyone is all excited to find another chapter today. I figured, since I'm free for the morning, but not the afternoon, I would do a little writing. This is what happens while they are apart, so there are no lemons, just some stuff to move the story along. Enjoy!**

**Lysvia – You think you have it bad watching star wars while reading. I am usually writing notes or typing while my two year old is either watching Dora the Explorer or Elmo. Definitely hard to create romance with that around.**

**Bella POV**

The first week was the worst. Edward left early on a Sunday morning for his first destination, San Francisco, and I was envious of him since I had never been there before. He kept trying to convince me to come with him, even for a few days, because he would have more free time there than in any other city, but I couldn't do it. We were leaving for New York in a few days for a shoot for Alice's Spring 2010 collection and we were already cutting the deadline close enough, so I had to stay to get as much done as I could beforehand. I didn't take him to the airport, I couldn't bring myself to see him leave, so Rosalie graciously volunteered Emmett to do it while she stayed with me and we tried to paint the living room.

"I like this color Bella, what's it called?" asked Rosalie as she tried to lift me from my depressed mood with conversation. Good Luck!

"Blue," I said matter of factly. Rosalie rolled her eyes at me and began chatting about the most asinine things that had been happening to her recently like how she 'accidently' broke Emmett's oversized foosball table in the basement. She had hated that thing since she first started dating Emmett and her 'accident' involved a hammer, so it wasn't exactly salvageable. I had to admit the conversation turned interesting when she started telling me how she and Emmett were already discussing children.

"Em actually brought it up. He apparently thinks he'll be a great parent, and I suggested that we start with a dog or something if he's desperate to look after something with a heartbeat" Rosalie and I both laughed contentedly at the thought of Emmett with a baby.

"Do you want one?" I asked curiously. I don't think in all the time I had known Rosalie that we had ever talked about whether or not she wanted children. In the past few years she had always been so concerned about only herself, I didn't think it would be a possibility, but Emmett has clearly changed her.

"Yeah, we'll probably have a few. What about you? Have you and Edward discussed kids?" Rosalie was clearly nervous discussing this topic since I had asked that we keep all Edward conversation to a minimum while he was gone. I answered anyways.

"We said we'd discuss kids again after we get married, but we both want them, so that's a good thing," I said with a heavy sigh. Rosalie offered up a gigantic hug and then her eyes lit up with more questions.

"You guys have talked marriage?" she said excitedly. I could already see the little hamster wheel spinning in her head. She had such a good time planning her own wedding, she was probably imagining mine.

"Just in the sense that we want to do it one day and after that have kids. He hasn't proposed, he doesn't have a ring, and we're not ready yet, so don't go picking out China patterns or maid of honor gowns just yet." I replied hastily as I continued to roll the paint across the wall.

"I'd be a matron of honor Bella, cause I'm married. Maids of honor are single gals," said Rosalie with a smirk.

"Who gives a shit?" I answered sarcastically. I didn't really care and now since she mentioned it, if I ever do marry Edward, I am calling her the maid of honor the entire time, just to piss her off. So that was day one of my twenty one days without Edward. The rest weren't nearly as exciting, and when it came time to head to New York, I had my iPod almost completely stocked with the most depressing songs possible, including my new favorite 'Come Pick Me Up' by Ryan Adams.

The night before I was scheduled to fly out to New York, Edward called earlier than usual. He was in Los Angeles now and would be leaving for Dallas in the morning. He was just as lonely as I was and I could sense it in his voice the moment he started talking.

"Are you all ready for New York?" he asked with concern. I did my best to assure him that everything would be fine.

"Yeah, everything is packed, and what I'm not bringing with me is already there. Alice left a few days ago to have some meetings with potential buyers and what not. Rose and I are out of here just after noon tomorrow. How is L.A.?" I was doing my best to sound upbeat, but it had already been six days without him and I honestly felt like I was dying inside. I was pathetic.

"L.A. is boring as hell. I've gone to dozens of meetings, a bunch of interviews and Olivia even got me talking to some director who thinks the story would make a great movie," he said with a laugh. He clearly wasn't taking the movie offer seriously.

"Really? That's awesome baby," I said with excitement for him, even though he clearly wasn't excited.

"It's just some small company. He kept throwing out names like Tom Cruise or Russell Crowe to play the lead and I think that was where he lost me because we both know neither of them could play it. Although, I must admit I had thought of people who could play your character." My interest was clearly piqued, so he kept going. "Rory from Gilmore Girls would be good. She looks a bit like you, of course you ooze sexiness and she doesn't, but it's a movie right?"

"Yeah, I guess Alexis Bledel could play me. I mean, the character based on me," I said with a laugh. We talked for almost the next hour about all the bad choices of actors for his book. Like Ben Affleck or Leonardo DiCaprio. Neither of them could play the role right. When I suggested Rob Schneider, I thought Edward was going to hang up on me. Instead he recommended Rosie O'Donnell for my role and we called it even. It was obvious that neither one of us wanted to get off the phone, but when I saw it was almost one in the morning, it had to be done. "Okay, I need to get my beauty sleep babe. I'll call you tomorrow night from New York," I said with a reluctant sigh. After a few more 'I love you's' I dragged my tired ass off to bed, feeling worse than ever.

Thankfully, my time in New York was constantly busy, so I wasn't able to focus on Edward as much. We still talked every night but our conversations weren't nearly as long or interesting because I had to be up early the next morning. He was easily tiring of the interviews featuring the same questions about the book and the relationship with the main characters. He told me he was asked several times if there would be a sequel, and Edward had replied that he wasn't sure. Lots of journalists asked him if the character was based on him, and he lied. He claimed he wasn't nearly as romantic as his main character 'Luke' but I knew he was kidding himself. He was ten times more romantic.

Alice, Rosalie and I went out for one night of debauchery in New York with some of the models from the shoot. Rosalie graciously lent me her engagement ring so that I could fend off any possible suitors quickly, and thankfully it worked. When I told Edward what I had done, he didn't seem too impressed, but was glad he didn't have to beat up any New Yorkers for me.

"There's only seven days left ya know?" said Edward during our last phone call while I was in New York. I would be flying home the next morning and was entirely too eager to leave the city for my comforts in Chicago. New York has been more depressing for me than usual, probably because every single thing that reminded me of Edward was in Chicago.

"I know. I can't wait. I seriously don't think I can handle another three weeks of this shit," I said reluctantly.

"Did you know Emmett wants to get a dog?" he said in surprise. "He can barely keep a cactus alive and he wants a dog," laughed Edward as he changed topics easily to something a little more casual.

"He doesn't want a dog, he wants a baby. But Rosalie offered up the dog first, to make sure he could handle it." I suddenly heard Edward choking on his drink. "Are you okay?"

"He wants a baby? Is he brain dead? Why would he want that? They've only been married a few months."

"I agree completely. Don't stress, I don't think you'll be an uncle anytime soon, although Uncle Edward does have a nice ring to it," I said as I smiled contentedly on the comfort of my hotel bed. We ended our call shortly after our disturbing conversation about Emmett and babies. Apparently he hadn't had a good track record with pets when they were younger, so Edward was now deathly afraid of Emmett near any small children. After hearing Edward's stories, I didn't blame him for being concerned.

When I got back to Chicago the next day, I thought I would feel better to get back into the house to all my memories of Edward, but it wasn't any better. It was worse. When I crawled into bed at night, everything smelled like him; when I unpacked boxes, most of the items had come from his old apartment. I was always wearing his clothes, I even wore a few of his shirts to work during the week and rather than Alice commenting about it, she suddenly got the bright idea to create a menswear inspired line for women. I was glad she was getting such inspiration out of my misery.

On my final day of depression, I did what any girl who was missing her boyfriend would do. I planned out a romantic dinner, bought new and extremely revealing lingerie and thought up dozens of ways to keep him and his lips busy when he got home on Sunday afternoon. I had even hired a car and driver to pick him up at the airport so that I could wait for him on the living room couch in some of the lingerie to surprise him when he got home. I was the one who got the surprise though, because he called a few hours before he was due to land. He was stuck in New York due to bad weather. Fucking rainstorm.

**Edward POV**

I thought I handled the first few days of our separation pretty well. There were no crazed phone calls with me wondering what she was doing at two in the afternoon. There were no depressing iPod playlists, but worst of all, there was no Bella. I had practically begged her to come with me to San Francisco for a few days, and even though I knew there was no way she could do it, I was disappointed anyways. San Francisco was going to be my least busy city during the entire tour and I wished I had been able to share it with her. Instead of going out and enjoying myself though, I holed myself up in my hotel room and plotted our ways to propose to her.

The rooftop seemed like a good idea at first. I could easily sneak up some supplies when she wasn't around and make it all romantic. With my luck we'd get a wind or rainstorm and then it would all be ruined. Scratch the rooftop.

We could go on vacation. We hadn't been anywhere even remotely vacation like together, in fact the most recent time we stayed at a hotel together was when we has sex during Emmett and Rosalie's wedding. There had been the time in Vegas, but that didn't count in my opinion. I stopped planning the proposal and fondly recalled the wedding excitedly. A little too enthusiastically actually because I found myself walking out of a cold shower minutes later, still confused about the proposal. Bella probably wouldn't want to go away; work was really busy for her these days, so she would be stressed the entire time, even if we just went to a bed and breakfast. No vacation.

Millions of other thoughts ran through my mind like asking her at the record store, maybe even in the listening booth where we had our first real kiss. For a moment I wished I still owned my old apartment so I could ask her on the floor of my living room, where we had spent hundreds of hours getting to know one another.

I spent my days heading to meetings and interviews, and my evenings planning my future with Bella. When I wasn't on the phone with her, I was plotting. I even called Alice a few times to try to get some advice, but she wasn't overly helpful. Alice was always practical and not very romantic. I should have called someone else. Then it hit me.

"Hello," answered the soft female voice on the other end of the phone.

"It's Edward. I need your help Rosalie," I said genuinely. She seemed more than eager to help when I explained my dilemma. I was in Atlanta now and seven days away from being home. I hadn't talked to Bella yet that night, but I needed the help of someone who knew romance, and that was Rosalie.

"Here's a few of things I wished Emmett had done for me, instead of just asking awkwardly in the lobby of our hotel in Vegas," started Rosalie willingly. "You could always pamper her with a bath, rose petals and maybe even a massage. Nah, that doesn't sound like Bella. What about a treasure hunt and when she's done she finds you holding the ring. Actually, that sounds like a lot of effort. How much work are you willing to put into this?" I confirmed for her that time and money was not important for the proposal.

"I don't care how long it takes or how much it costs; I just want it to be right," I said with a sigh. I had been trying to think of some way to ask Bella for over two weeks already. I was getting a headache and the ideas were less romantic with each passing day. Part of me just wanted to throw her the box and say 'so, wanna get hitched?' and even though I knew she would laugh about it and probably still say yes, I hated being so unoriginal.

My last few days of the tour were truly heinous. I was tired of the same conversations and the people all seemed so fake, I was bored before I even walked into the room to join them. When I spoke to Bella after she got home from New York, she seemed even sadder than usual, although she insisted everything was fine. We had both taken to counting down the hours until I was back with her, and there was only 42 hours left. Less than two days until everything went back to normal. Before I called Bella on my last night in New York, I called Rosalie up again, looking for more ideas. She had offered to dig around a bit, but sadly, she ended up being no help.

"Here's my suggestion... just think about when you fell in love with her, and do something having to do with that. If you fell in love with her when she made you dinner, than you make her the same dinner and ask her. If you fell for her during a walk, then take her for a walk. She likes the little things, not the big gestures. Bella will just be happy you are asking at all," said Rosalie with the utmost confidence. She was right. So the next morning, as I waited at JFK because my flight was delayed due to a heavy rainstorm, I immediately placed a call to someone who could actually help me with my proposal. James.


	34. Revelry

**A/N: Happy Sunday! I ended up staying up late to read the new chapters of 'Wide Awake' and since I was already riled up, I decided to finish this chapter which I had started on Friday. I'm sure you were all excited to see I couldn't actually hold off for the entire weekend on updating.**

**Therealteacher – thanks for the info on Randy Rogers. I actually didn't know this Ryan Adams cover until a few days ago when Entertainment Weekly listed it on their list of the 50 most depressing songs. It's a good list, check it out btw. I will look into Randy when I get a moment. I actually enjoy quite a lot of country and sadly have seen Tim McGraw more than Coldplay in concert. But I'm not bitter! LOL**

**Darcy13 – LOL on the dog instead of the baby story. My brother and his wife did the same thing. They started with a cat, then a dog and now they have twin one year old girls, and one is ironically named Isabella. **

**Flightlessbird11 - Thanks for the music rec. I own that album, though I usually have to force myself not to listen to it because my two year old loves it so much, it's losing all meaning. If I have to listen to 'I'm Yours' one more time while she jumps up and down yelling "do do do song' I might kill myself. Okay, it would probably only be a paper cut, but you get the picture.**

**Review your little hearts mon amis!**

**Bella POV**

I paced around the house nervously, suddenly glad that I hadn't started dinner yet, because I had no appetite. Edward was stuck in New York for at least five more hours, at the earliest. There were torrential downpours and lightning, thus making take off difficult. His flight was delayed, but we didn't know how long it would be until he even boarded. Edward decided to make the best of it and was holed up at the airport, desperate to catch the first flight out.

"I will be home before you know it. I was going to rent a car and drive back, but the lines at the rental counter are huge. Apparently everyone else had the same idea as me," he said anxiously as we talked, while I continued my uneasy pacing.

"It's okay, really. What's a few more hours'?" I was just praying that he was here before I went to bed or got up in the morning. It was just after four in the afternoon, so there was always the possibility that he would still be home tonight. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that shit right?" I added with a laugh.

"Yeah, something like that," he laughed along with me. "I'm gonna go grab something for dinner since it's after five here and I will call you the moment I hear anything okay? Don't stay up too late." Of course I couldn't promise anything. If he called and said his flight was leaving at midnight, I was waiting till he got home to go to sleep; I had slept without him for way too long already. I busied myself for the rest of the night, unpacking more boxes. Before Edward had left, he had installed some bookcases in our living room and I hadn't even put anything on them yet, so I unloaded some books, DVD's and photos, to make it look like I had actually done some work, even though I hadn't. I had been avoiding it. Unpacking just hadn't appealed to me while he was gone. It was almost nine when he called me back.

"We're supposed to leave in about half an hour. In fact they are boarding our flight now. The flight is around two hours, so I might be home just after one. You should go to bed though. I don't want you staying up tonight," he said, sounding a bit remorseful.

"No." I said bluntly. "I'm staying up. I might take a little nap before you get home, but I will be awake when you get here. It's been three weeks Edward, not two days."

"Bella…" he started to say before interrupted him.

"I can't do three weeks again Edward. I'll be waiting for you when you get home," said genuinely as I hung up the phone, feeling a bit regretful. I cleaned the house a bit while I waited, even putting away some laundry that had been folded for over four days and I couldn't be bothered with. It was just after eleven when I fell asleep on the couch, with my cell phone beside me, it's alarm set to wake me at around twelve thirty. The phone didn't even have a chance to go off because I heard the door slam shut just after midnight, awaking me from my spot in the living room.

I practically sprinted down the few stairs to the front door where Edward stood, soaking wet.

"It's raining out," he said as I threw my arms around his neck and started kissing him passionately. I had missed him more than I ever thought possible. I greedily took in his scent and didn't even care that my clothes were now drenched. "I missed you too," he said gently as he buried his head in my neck.

"You look tired," I said as I pulled away from him for a moment and made sure he still had all his fingers and toes.

"That's funny, I was about to say the same to you," he replied as he smiled my favorite smile and I almost started crying from sheer excitement of having him back with me. He put his luggage in the laundry room, locked the front door and we slowly walked upstairs to our bedroom, turning off all the lights as we went. "What did I miss?"

"Just me being pathetic. Nothing too exciting. Although, thanks to the rain, you missed the dinner I was planning for you and a bunch of sexy lingerie, but that's okay. It will be there tomorrow."

"Sexy lingerie?" he asked with a nervous gulp. I just nodded my head and grabbed a loose t-shirt to slide on instead of the wet tank top I was currently sporting. I was way too tired to have sex tonight, even though my body was reacting naturally to Edward being in the room, currently getting undressed. I climbed into our bed and waited while he finished undressing and brushing his teeth. Even though he was only a few feet from me, it was still painful to have him be so far away. "So, no sexy lingerie tonight?"

"No. Tomorrow, I promise," I said as I kissed his chest after he lay down beside me in bed. Suddenly, everything felt right again as he wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled his face into my neck. "No more going away, unless we do it together."

I felt his head nod against my shoulder gently. "Deal. So I see you didn't get much unpacked," he said as more of a question than a statement.

"I was busy… missing you. I honestly think that this past three weeks was worse than our breakup. Rosalie and Alice did their best to distract me, but it didn't help. Oh, Rose and Em got their dog. A pug. Emmett insists his name is 'Sir Licks-A-Lot' but Rosalie just calls him 'dog' right now. Poor thing will be so confused if they ever end up find a name that they can agree on." I laughed happily as I told the story, and Edward followed suit.

"Sir Licks-A-Lot… really? My brother did way too much drugs in college," he said with a smile.

"Can you imagine what he would want to name their kids?" I said as I started to think of the possibilities. "I'm sure Moxy Crimefighter or Pilot Inspecktor, will probably seem normal to Emmett."

"Maybe He'll go with fruit like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin and I'll have a little niece named Papaya and a nephew named Avocado," joked Edward as his hands started to stroke my hair gently.

"Oh, those would be horrible. I think Carlisle and Esme would have Rose and Em committed for even considering those names. Luckily, I know Rosalie would probably be pretty practical. Since she calls the dog 'dog' maybe she'll call the baby 'baby' or 'infant'?" I said with a sigh. I knew Rosalie already had baby names picked out. She had chosen them during our first year of college, almost seven years ago. She was partial to kids named after cities like Vienna, London, Paris, Brooklyn… stuff like that.

"Have you ever thought of baby names?" asked Edward tentatively. Wow, this was a whole new topic of conversation for us. I didn't think we would even start up this conversation until we were married.

"Not really," I lied. I had thought of some, but only since I had been with Edward. He didn't need to know this though.

"I have," he said matter of factly. I was actually really surprised by his answer. "I always liked 'Hannah' for a girl. I also wanted to one day use 'Esme' as a middle name. I also liked 'Logan' for a boy or 'Noah', that's a good name."

"Wow, put a lot of thought into it Edward?" I asked feeling slightly nervous.

"I had time to kill at JFK and the couple beside me were expecting and going through a baby name book to pass the time. I was just eavesdropping and taking mental notes." He kissed my forehead sweetly and squeezed me tightly between his strong arms. "I thought you were tired?"

"I am but I felt compelled to tell you about Sir Licks-A-Lot."

"Well, thank you for that. Now let's get some sleep so I can get some in the morning." Edward laughed softly at his joke as my eye lids began fluttering closed and I took in one more scent of him before falling asleep. I officially had the best night's sleep of my entire life.

**Edward POV**

The next three weeks were stressful to say the least. Since the book tour ended, Bella and I were practically inseparable. If it wasn't for the fact that she had to work outside of our house, I would never have had a chance to plan the proposal. Thank god for the help I got from Rosalie and James, because I wouldn't have been able to pull it off otherwise. Rosalie had agreed to help distract Bella and get her prepared for our evening together. James had reserved the entire bar for me for a few hours, agreeing to open up to the public once we were finished. He also agreed to bartend for us, not that we would even require it, but just in case. It also helped with the authenticity of the event. I was actually hoping that we wouldn't need to be at the bar too long and that when Bella said yes we would be heading back to our house to celebrate and make love. I was completely set to propose to her tonight, Saturday October 17th, one year to the day after I met her.

"Rosalie will be here any minute, shouldn't you be getting ready?" I asked nervously as Bella stumbled around the living, reorganizing things. She was still in her pajamas, and on an ordinary day I wouldn't complain, but today I just wanted to kick her out of the house.

"Oh yeah, shit," she mumbled as she ran up the stairs, coming back a few minutes later in a pair of jeans and a loose sweater. "She's insisting on dragging me out shopping and to get our hair done. She also mentioned the possibilities of manicures and pedicures. If she wasn't my best friend, I would lock the house and pretend we weren't home."

"I'm sure you girls will have a great day. When was the last time you and Rosalie just hung out?" I asked curiously. I knew the answer though because Rose had agreed to avoid Bella for almost three weeks, guaranteeing that Bella would want to see her today. As far as I could tell, Bella still had no idea what would be going down in a few hours and it made me both nervous and relieved. Rosalie showed up about ten minutes later and scoffed at Bella's choice of clothing.

"Good thing we're going shopping," she said with a sly grin as I handed her a small wad of cash while Bella was getting her purse from the kitchen. Rosalie and I had agreed that she was to get Bella an entirely new outfit; dress, shoes and lingerie. The whole nine yards. Rose had insisted that it would be a piece of cake, but knowing how Bella felt about shopping I expected there to be some resistance.

"Have fun," I said with a broad smile as I kissed Bella goodbye. "Listen to Rose and do what she says," I laughed as she gave me a confused glare. She said nothing further as Rosalie grabbed her hand and dragged her down to her new red BMW which Emmett had given her as a six month anniversary present. The moment they had left the house, I headed down the street to the local florist to pick up the items I had ordered. There were two big bouquets of roses, which were going to be in our bedroom, and a bag of rose petals, which I planned to spread all over our bed and the floor. They were artificial because I could imagine the argument that would ensue if they were real and when we had sex they somehow stained the bed. Bella had agonized over picking out the sheets and comforter currently gracing our bed and I really didn't want to face her wrath the morning after I proposed. I wanted only happiness for the rest of the weekend.

Just after four, I texted Rosalie to check in and she said that all was going as planned. They had been shopping and Bella was currently getting a pedicure. I had to laugh when Rosalie mentioned there was no money left. How the hell they spent five hundred dollars so quickly baffled me, but I didn't care. I would have given five thousand to make tonight a reality. Rose and Emmett were supposed to bring Bella over to the bar around seven, so I had three hours left. I called James and confirmed the game plan, and he explained that everything was all set on his end. The bar was technically closing at six thirty so that I could prepare, not that there was much to do. When we got off the phone, I nervously paced around the living room and kitchen, trying to calm my nerves. I had a shot of whiskey and decided to go shower and get dressed.

When six o'clock rolled around, I grabbed the ring box from the back of my drawer and opened it slowly, confirming it was still in place. I had checked on it almost every day for the last week, and for some ungodly reason I thought it might not be there today. I shoved it in my pocket and grabbed my wallet and keys so that I could make my way to the bar. James was putting a sign on the door stating they were closed for a private party until eight when I pulled up in front of the building.

"You look like a nervous wreck," he said with a snort as he led me inside.

"Thanks," I responded as I shrugged my shoulders indifferently. I watched as James poured me a quick shot and slid it down the bar towards me. I took it greedily and determined alcohol would probably not help my situation. "That was the last one until she says yes, okay?" I asked of James and he just nodded his head in agreement. I started to pace around the bar and was annoying James thoroughly when Rosalie sent me a text saying they were a few blocks away. I sat down in the stool I was in the night she walked into my life and waited, drumming my fingers on the bar impatiently and finding myself wishing I could have another drink to calm my nerves.

When she walked in, she was breathtaking and how Rosalie ever got her to agree to the blindfold, I would never guess, but I would be asking at the first available opportunity.

"Where the fuck are we? This thing is itchy Rose," said Bella as she clawed anxiously as the fabric covering her eyes. I took a moment to breathe her in before I signaled for Rose to remove the blindfold. She was wearing a sexy cocktail dress that hit her above the knee. It was a pale blue shade and the waist was directly underneath her breasts. She was stunning. I could now see where the five hundred dollars went. Her hair was pulled up onto her head loosely and my face broke out into a huge smile. Rosalie took this as a sign for her to remove the blindfold, which she did with a laugh and then she disappeared out the door. No doubt waiting for news from Bella and me to come back, hopefully to congratulate us.

"Rosalie," she shouted angrily before she turned back around and realized where she was.

"Care for a drink?" asked James as we both watched Bella's eyes widen in surprise.

"Gin & Tonic," she said with a smile as she walked over and sat down beside me. "Come here often?" she asked me with a sly grin, as I reached forward and took her hand in mine as my face turned serious. "What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly very concerned.

"Nothing's wrong," I said trying to force a broad smile across my face even though I was a bundle of nerves. "Everything is perfect."

"This is certainly a pleasant surprise. I wish I had known in advance though, that damned blindfold was itchy as hell. I wonder what detergent Rosalie uses?" She was frustrating me, but it was lovable. This was exactly what I would have expected from Bella if it was a regular day, so I could tell she still had no clue about what was going on.

"You look beautiful," I said with a quick kiss to her cheek. She reached down and took a sip of her gin before turning back towards me. She was about to say something, when I raised my finger to her mouth. "It's still my turn to speak." Bella nodded her head casually and I mustered up every ounce of courage that I could and finally said the words I had been planning for almost three months.

"I love you Bella. I have loved you since the moment you walked into this bar exactly one year ago. I even loved you when you left me the note the next day and I realized you were gone. I love every single thing you do, even the little annoying habits that I find absolutely endearing. I hate being away from you for even a minute of my day, and when you get home, I can't wait to hold you in my arms again and listen to your stories." The words were coming forth effortlessly, but my nervousness was increasing. "I love that you laugh constantly at the Gilmore Girls, even the episodes that you have seen three times. I love when I find you singing 'la vie en rose' around the kitchen while you cook even though you don't think I can hear you. I love when you stroke my hair before we fall asleep and I can't imagine being with anyone else. Ever. You make me want to be the best person I could ever possibly be." I reached anxiously into my pocket and pulled out the box. Bella's head was bent forward and she was crying. Not just little tears, but full on sobbing. My heart broke for a moment, until Bella raised her head and she was actually smiling through her tears.

I hopped off my stool and kneeled before her, raising the open box up towards her and she gasped lightly. "Isabella Marie Swan, will you do me the pleasure of being mine for the rest of our lives? Will you marry me?" I asked as my voice hitched nervously, anxiously awaiting her answer. She didn't say anything, she just kept crying. I looked towards the door and saw Rosalie and Emmett peek their heads in to see the results of my hard work. Bella didn't move and I felt like I was about to throw up.

"Yes," she said confidently as she reached her hands down to cup my face and pulled me into a deep lingering kiss. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her, feeling both ecstatic and relieved as I watched her stare at the box for a moment. I had completely forgotten to put the ring on her finger. I practically ripped it out of the box and slid it gently onto her left hand, kissing it sweetly when it was in place. She fingered it reverently for a few moments before pulling me in for another kiss. "I love you Edward," she screamed in excitement. I laughed happily as Rosalie pounced over to us and gave Bella and me a big hug. Emmett even got in on the hug, which was just as surprising.

"So you were in on this Rose?" asked Bella as she grabbed my hands in hers, intertwining our fingers.

"Yeah, I knew a little bit about it," she said with a grin. Rosalie would have my undying respect and love for the help she provided me, and she knew that. I had a feeling if she ever needed a body moved; I'd be there with the trunk of the Volvo open waiting for her to roll it towards me in a carpet.

"How long?" asked Bella as she glanced up at me, awaiting my answer.

"Well, I've had the ring since July," I said as I noticed her doing the math in her head. "Yes, three months Bella. My parents gave it to me when I met them for lunch a few days after Em and Rose came back from their honeymoon."

"This is from your parents?" she asked as she raised her hand nervously. Rosalie immediately grasped it to examine it closely. She seemed to appreciate it, and I wondered if she knew it was originally meant for her before she ran off and eloped.

"It belonged to my Great Grandmother Cullen. Apparently my mother could see how serious we were about one another and wanted me to give it to you. They'll be happy to hear I finally did it," I said with a sigh of relief. "We'll probably have to get together with them soon to tell them." We all shared a celebratory glass of champagne, except James who was technically still working, and we laughed while Emmett explained to us that they finally agreed on a name for the dog. Lunchbox.

"How did you ever agree to that Rosalie?" asked Bella as she wrapped her arms around me tightly and I kissed her forehead.

"Sure beats 'Sir Licks-A-Lot', plus now that he is getting bigger, he's a little chunky. It's fitting," replied Rosalie before her and Emmett excused themselves for the evening. It was only a few minutes later that Bella and I agreed to head home, to the comfort of our bed.

"Are you ready Mr. Cullen?" she asked after I thanked James profusely for his help.

"Yes I am Mrs. Cullen."


	35. Such Great Heights

**A/N: Okay, so this is one of those 'filler' chapters till we get to a little more action, which you will learn more about as you read this chapter.**

**Thanks to everyone for their lovely reviews on my last chapter. I'm nearing 400 reviews and am absolutely ecstatic. Special thanks to Dramione Cullen for the kind words. Its reviews like that which keep me writing these crazy stories.**

**As for the dog names, we actually call my stepdaughter's Chihuahua lunchbox because he's a wee bit chubby. We want to use it ourselves when we eventually get a dog. We had the baby first. LOL.**

**Bella POV**

"Come on Bella, I don't want to be late again," yelled Edward from the main floor as I tried on the sixth dress of the afternoon. "You'll look beautiful in a paper sack and if you don't come down soon I'm gonna go put one on you." I finally relented and slid on a simple blue dress that was the fourth one I had tried on. When I walked downstairs, Edward smiled his patented crooked smile and took my hand, practically dragging me out of the house, so that we wouldn't be late.

We were off to the Cullen house to break news of our engagement to the family. Rosalie made Emmett promise not to tell them anything when he spoke to them, because it had already been a week since Edward had proposed. I was still on cloud nine. When I didn't think he was watching, I was always staring down at the ring in both awe and excitement. We had chatted generally about what we wanted for our wedding and we both agreed on something small. That was the only decision that had been made yet. Probably because whenever we started talking about it, I always initiated sex with him. He never complained though. The entire family was supposed to be at dinner tonight, and not only were we breaking the news to Esme and Carlisle, but we were also telling Alice. She had been away for part of last week in Los Angeles, and we hadn't had a chance to tell her. I could picture her response almost immediately as she screamed in excitement and started spewing dress terms to me I didn't understand.

"What about a destination wedding? We could fly to the Bahamas and get hitched there. Then we don't have to worry about all the guests, just our families," suggested Edward with a grin. "I thought I would take this time to ask you can't silence me with sex right now." We both laughed and I started to think about his wedding idea.

"That actually sounds pretty good. Other than my dad and Rosalie, there isn't really anyone I would want to invite. Then with your family, we'd be good to go." I replied as I stared out the window absentmindedly. Tonight was the first time I was going to Edward's parents house that I didn't feel nervous. The drive seemed to take less time tonight, probably because Edward was speeding a little to try and make up some of the time I had wasted while getting dressed. We pulled into the long driveway with a few moments to spare before six o'clock.

"Oh, keep your hand wrapped around mine until we tell them, otherwise they may find out too soon," he laughed, as I suddenly wished I had decided to wear pants, so that I had a pocket to put my hand in and make it a bit more discreet.

"Will do boss," I said with a grin. We walked right into the house, not bothering to knock because we could tell everyone else had already arrived ahead of us. We shared a pleasant exchange with Esme and Carlisle before Rosalie dragged me off to the bathroom to talk.

"So…" she said, not really saying much with her words, but her expression was slightly frantic.

"So what?" I asked feeling very confused.

"Have you guys made any plans for the wedding yet?" she whispered to me as she turned the fan on in the room, hoping that it would mask our conversation.

"No. Every time we try to talk about it, I get horny and have sex with him. We talked about it in the car a bit tonight and I think we're gonna do a small destination wedding. I might need to hire a planner or something; otherwise we'll be 80 and never getting anything planned because we keep having sex. The moment he suggested we pick a date, it took me all of three seconds to peel my clothes off. I think I'm sick," I said with a laugh as Rosalie glared at me.

"I'll do it for you," she replied, being all serious.

"Thanks Rosalie, but you'd think from our conversation you'd know I didn't swing that way." Rosalie rolled her eyes at my joke because she clearly didn't find it as funny as I did.

"No, I'll plan the wedding. Ever since I did mine and Emmett's, I've wanted to do another one. I think I might even consider going into business for wedding planning and keep modeling on the side." As Rosalie spoke, she had a glimmer in her eye that I hadn't seen since her wedding day. Both of them. She was serious, and I was eager for the help.

"Let me talk to Edward first, and then we'll talk. How are you going to plan my wedding and be my maid of honor at the same time?" I asked, hoping she would catch on that I was officially asking her to stand up for me when I married Edward.

"It's matron of honor, remember. I told you this Bella. Honestly, sometimes I think you have the worst memory," she said snidely until she realized what I was saying. Suddenly she threw her arms around me happily and was all excited. "See, now I have to plan the wedding. It's fate."

"It's not fate. You've been my best girlfriend for over ten years. It's your duty Rosalie." It was only a moment later that we walked out of the bathroom together and ran into Emmett.

"Even here girls go to the bathroom in groups?" he asked with a grin.

"Yeah, she needed help pulling up her underwear," said Rose with a grin. Unfortunately, we were both suddenly mortified because Carlisle was standing right behind Emmett. We all broke into laughter because Carlisle was actually more embarrassed than we were. We slipped back into the living room, where I grabbed Edward's right hand eager to hide the ring I had refused to remove since he slipped it on eight days ago.

"Dinner should be ready in about fifteen minutes," said Esme as she wandered in with her martini and sat down beside a still uncomfortable Carlisle.

"Are you ready?" whispered Edward to me as I tightened my hold on his hand. Jasper and Alice had just walked back into the room, so everyone was assembled. It was clearly time.

"As ready as I will ever be," I said with a nervous grin.

"So, I have some news," began Edward as all eyes suddenly turned to us. I felt very self conscious suddenly. "I'm sorry… we have some news," he corrected himself. He looked even more nervous than he did when he had proposed. "Bella and I are getting married."

I looked over at Rosalie, who didn't move and was smiling as broadly as me. Unfortunately, I didn't see her for too long because Alice was suddenly all over us, hugging both of us tightly to her. Esme and Carlisle followed right behind her, while Jasper gave us a quick pat on the back.

"It's about fucking time," yelled Alice as she pranced around the room happily.

"Alice, watch your language," sighed Esme as she let go of us and sat back down on the couch.

"Before any of you even start considering some sort of lavish wedding like Em and Rose, we're stopping you right now. We're gonna get married in the islands somewhere. A nice small wedding. Just family," said Edward as I suddenly felt very relieved. At least now I wouldn't have to listen to Esme talk about the 200 people she wanted to invite. I had gone through enough of that with Rosalie only four months ago.

"That's fine," replied Carlisle with a broad smile. "We actually have a friend who owns a private island in Jamaica. I'm sure with a little persuasion he'd be willing to let us borrow it. Your mother and I went a few years ago. He has like three little villas in addition to the main house. It was beautiful," added Carlisle, clearly excited with himself for having made such a major recommendation for our wedding.

"You'll have to discuss it with Rosalie, she's planning the wedding," I said as I faced Rosalie with a big smile. Edward looked down at me and simply nodded his head. Ever since we had gotten engaged, he basically said that whatever I wanted, I would get. Since he now knew I wanted Rosalie to plan it, everything was falling into place. It was only a few moments later when Esme guided us all in the dining room for dinner. Thankfully, she had it catered. No crazy meals tonight, no hiding food in my napkin and no stopping at McDonalds on the way home.

"Looks good mom," said a relieved Emmett as he took a quick bite of the salad before him, before turning to his chicken.

Dinner was fairly boring. Alice peppered me with questions about my wedding dress, which she insisted on designing. It certainly beat the alternative which was hitting every bridal shop in the greater Chicago area with Rosalie, so I didn't mind. Rosalie started questioning Carlisle about the island he told us about earlier and was already making a list of additional questions on a pad of paper she had taken from Esme's office. When dinner was over, I felt slightly relieved, until Esme and Carlisle asked Edward and me to stay behind after everyone else had left. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long because Emmett and Rosalie had to get home to Lunchbox, who was on his first official night alone. Even in a cage, they anticipated trouble. Apparently he enjoys nibbling on Rosalie's shoes, which she doesn't even care about, she just buys newer and more expensive shoes in their place.

Esme had us sit in the living room, and I was suddenly nervous. Edward wrapped his arm around my shoulder and waited patiently.

"So, you probably don't know this, but we paid for Emmett and Rosalie's entire wedding, and we would like to do the same for you both," said Carlisle casually as Edward and I glanced between one another. Oddly enough, it wasn't smiles that crossed our faces.

"That's really generous dad, but Bella and I kind of wanted to do it ourselves. No offence. This is one of the reasons we want a small wedding. We don't want tons of your friends there, just our immediate family. I hope you understand," answered Edward, slightly frustrated at his parents for even offering.

"That's fine," sighed Esme in response. "Have you guys picked a date?"

"Not yet. I guess we're going to see if your friend's island is available, sometime in the near future," I replied casually as Edward glanced over at me.

"How near?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know, I figured sometime in the spring, a few months maybe?" I watched as Edward nodded his happily because apparently he was in agreement that we should do it sooner, rather than later. We shared a cordial goodbye with his parents and felt a bit relieved when we got in the Volvo to head back to our home.

"That was kind of liberating, telling my parents we didn't need their money," said Edward as he gripped my hand tightly as we turned onto the highway from his driveway. I nodded in agreement and started to fall asleep before we had even left their driveway.

**Edward POV**

Over the next few weeks, Rosalie practically lived at our house during the evenings. Sometimes she would bring Emmett with her, and sometimes only Lunchbox. A few times she even brought both of them, but the conversation was always the same, our wedding. Bella had given her free reign in her planning, but Bella and I got the final say in every single detail.

Once the location was decided upon, the date fell into place. Arnie, Carlisle's doctor friend and the owner of the island, was happy enough to lend us the island, but we only had two choices of dates: the last weekend in February or the last weekend in March. We decided on the final week of March. We would fly in on a Sunday, spend the entire week with our family, and get married on the Friday night on the beach. So it was set, Friday March 26th, Bella and I were getting married.

A two weeks before Christmas, Bella went for her first fitting for her wedding gown with Alice. Apparently they had spent a lot of their time during their work weeks planning every single detail for the gown, and I was happy because Bella seemed pleased. When we made final decisions together, I felt relieved every time and Bella actually seemed excited.

"Okay, so we are going to have the minister come in by boat on Friday around noon, and the ceremony will be around four. You haven't made a final decision about the flowers Bella, and the florist called today and said we needed to choose soon," said Rosalie, the very next day, as she shoved a few pictures across the table in Bella's direction. She looked over them casually and then pushed them towards me for my review. She didn't say anything about them though.

"Bella," I asked with concern after a few minutes of silence. "Do you like any of these?"

"Uh, the blue ones are nice I guess," she said with a sigh. I glanced back at Rosalie and she offered up a reassuring smile.

"Okay, the blue ones. Anyways, I have to head home. We'll pick this up on the weekend when we meet up at Esme and Carlisle's," said Rosalie as she picked up all of her pictures and notes and headed out quickly. Bella hardly seemed to notice.

"What's wrong?" I asked as she headed over to the couch to sit down, with me following closely at her heels. She was looking very concerned and I had no idea why. It was like a switch flipped off in her head suddenly; I thought as I sat down beside her and pulled her close to me.

"You haven't met my dad yet," she answered timidly. She was absolutely right. We had been together for almost a year and engaged for two months, and I had yet to meet her dad.

"Do you want to go visit him for Christmas?" I asked, trying to ease some of her apparent stress.

"No, I was looking forward to celebrating Christmas here in our new house."

"Why don't we fly him out here?" I watched as a small smile graced her face. It was as though she hadn't even considered it. "It would be great; he could stay here for a few days, spend Christmas with us, and meet the family and all that crap." Bella nodded happily and picked up the phone to call her father and invite him. When she nodded to me that her father had accepted, I called my mother and advised her to add an extra chair for Christmas Dinner. She was excited at the prospect of meeting Bella's father before the wedding and the moment I got off the phone with her, I was suddenly nervous.

When we got into bed later that night, both of us exhausted from our crazy day, I started to tell Bella about my concerns and she did her best to reassure me.

"Charlie will love you just as much as I do," she said with a smile as she laid her head against my bare chest and snuggled close to me.

"I don't want him to love me, just to not hate me," I sighed with a heavy heart.

"Don't worry about Charlie. He's got a tough exterior, but inside it's a heart of gold," said Bella as she kissed me sweetly on the lips. Suddenly a very familiar feeling began stirring within me, but I held back, wanting to continue our conversation.

"Has he met any of your other boyfriends, ever?" I asked curiously. We had never really talked at length about her father, so I was taking the opportunity now that she was pleased he was coming to visit. She shook her head to signal that Charlie hadn't met anyone from her past. "Not even Seth? You dated him for three years Bella. He never once met your dad?"

"No. Seth was a complete fuck up. I visited Charlie a bunch of times while we were dating, but Seth never came with me. I never felt comfortable to introduce him to my dad. Then things got worse between us, with the drugs and everything. I never even told Charlie about it. He knew we broke up, but no details were exchanged." Bella had now propped herself up on her elbows to give me a bit more insight about her father. "Could you imagine me bringing home my druggie boyfriend to my police chief father?"

"No, I guess not."

"You honestly have nothing to worry about. We're engaged, my dad is pleased for me, and he likes you already even though you've never met. He's glad that you make me so happy. Don't start expecting some major drama with him, because it won't be there," I nodded my head at her words and felt slightly calmed. "You boys should go out and have a boys night out when he gets here. Go out for beers or something, talk to him on his level. He'll love that."

I thought seriously about what Bella mentioned, and I thought hanging out with her dad for a while didn't seem like that bad of an idea, although it was still pretty daunting. "How about if I had a poker night here?" I suggested, not even sure if Charlie liked poker. "I could invite Emmett, Jasper and my dad." I watched as Bella's smile grew wider. She clearly thought this was a good idea.

"We'll hammer out the details after he books his ticket," said Bella with a grin as she put her head back on my chest and her hand wandered down to my waist. Right where I didn't really want her to go at that moment. Thankfully, Bella sensed my reluctance and pulled away, putting her hand over my heart. "Stop stressing. I love you. Even if Charlie tells me he doesn't approve, it won't change a thing." Bella was confident, and as I fell asleep with her in my arms, I wished for a moment that I had the same confidence in this situation.


	36. The Secrets in the Telling

**A/N: Thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews. Some drama starts to happen in this chapter that will follow through for the next little while. No pun intended with the title reference. Woo Hoo, almost 400 reviews. You people are awesome! I would give each of you a honey crueller from tim hortons (awesome canadian donut shop) if I could. They are almost as tasty as Robert Pattinson.**

**Special shout out to 'itsinmyblood' for her awesome review. I hope you manage to set aside some time to read and review this one before the story is finally done.**

**Flightlessbird11 – thanks for catching my Iron & Wine reference. I think that it might be one of my fav I&W songs.**

***I do not own twilight or its characters, but I do own these words and a house in Canada.**

**BPOV**

I picked my father up from O'Hare three days before Christmas and he looked the exact same as he had when I saw him last, expect a bit skinnier. His dark brown hair was peppered with a bit of grey on the sides and moustache, but rather than making him look older, he looked more distinguished.

"Hey Bella," he called over to me the moment he saw me from across baggage claim. I quickly walked over to him and he enveloped me in a huge hug. "Where's Edward? I'm a little impatient to meet my future son-in-law."

"He should be at the house when we get there. He had a few last minute errands to run. Just so you know, he's really nervous to meet you, so take it a bit easy on him," I said as we loaded his luggage into the back of Edward's Volvo.

"Bells, relax. I left the guns at home. You are old enough to make your own decisions. I have a feeling I will like Edward just fine." We talked casually for the rest of the drive, even when we got stuck in the hellish Chicago traffic. However Charlie was talking more than usual, so I couldn't help but think that something was amiss, and I took advantage of the fact that we were stuck in traffic to ask him.

"What's on your mind Dad?"

"Huh? What do you mean Bella?" he responded indifferently. His hands were now fidgeting in his lap, so something was definitely up.

"You're suddenly very talkative, which is a major change for you. There must be something on your mind."

"Are you inviting your mother to the wedding Bella?" asked Charlie with a grimace. He was clearly uncomfortable discussing this topic with me.

"No."

"We ran into each other last week and I mentioned the wedding. I was under the assumption that you were going to invite her Bella. She is your mother after all." I glanced over at my father and he actually appeared disappointed in me that I hadn't invited her.

"She left us dad. Do you remember that? I tried to reach out to her for a few years, but I haven't heard anything from her. I have no idea how you have even remained friendly with her," I replied incredulously. Renee had left us for some random guy named Phil almost ten years ago. I was in high school at the time, and I chose to live with my father, which really upset her to the point that by the time I graduated high school she had pulled away from me almost completely. There were no responses to my phone calls or emails. I sent Christmas cards and never heard anything back from her. By the time I had settled in Chicago, there was absolutely no mother/daughter relationship anymore.

"I'm still on good terms with her because I know that even though she's happy with Phil, she hates what she did to us. She regrets it every day, because she tells me this every time I see her," revealed Charlie as I held back a laugh, knowing it would upset him further. "She wants to talk to you again."

"Well isn't that special. It only took her six years to try to reach out to me. Why should I bother?" I asked as I felt the anger building up in me.

"She's dying Bella." I wasn't fucking expecting that one. I gripped the wheel tighter and kept my focus on the road in front of me. "She's got cancer. She found out about six months ago. We've actually been spending a little bit more time together since she was diagnosed. Unfortunately, it wasn't caught soon enough. You know how stubborn Renee can be, she didn't want to go to the doctor…" Charlie kept talking, but all that I heard were his earlier words, _she's dying Bella._ She's dying of cancer, and I am still holding a grudge against her. "She just wants a chance to apologize and try to mend fences with you."

I was speechless. Thankfully, traffic seemed to start moving shortly after Charlie's revelation and it was only twenty more minutes until we pulled into our driveway. The lights were on, so I knew Edward was home. I would definitely need him tonight.

"Don't tell Edward about Renee, and be on your best behavior," I reminded Charlie as we walked up to the front door. Charlie left his bags at the top of the stairs, in our living room, as I guided him to the kitchen where Edward had taken it upon himself to make us dinner. "Mmm… stir fry. Smells good baby," I said as I moved over to Edward and gave him a quick kiss. He turned around quickly and was greeted by my smiling father. The smile didn't even look forced. Things were looking up.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Swan," said Edward politely as he cleaned off his hand on the trusty ol' 'Pork the one you love' apron and extended it out to my father, who accepted it, even though he glared at the apron.

"Please call me Charlie. Nice apron," he answered with a smirk. I explained to my father than Emmett had given it to us when Rosalie refused to let him keep it, and he laughed. He knew it was typical Rosalie behavior. Dinner was actually very pleasant. Edward and Charlie talked easily about topics like sports and politics, and every so often my father would ask a rare question about the wedding or our plans for the week. Tomorrow night Edward was having his little poker game with all the boys while I get the pleasure of spending the evening with Rosalie finalizing wedding arrangements. On Christmas Eve, we were having a quiet dinner here, but on Christmas Day we were expected at Edward's parents' house for a big dinner and meet & greet. I had been worried about Charlie meeting Esme and Carlisle, but now that I see how well he interacted with Edward, I knew there was nothing to worry about.

We sat in the living room for a little while after dinner, where I admired the small Christmas tree Edward and I had managed to put up the week before. It had been a disastrous event trying to find the tree, but once we got it home and decorated, we ended up making love in front of it. We were both so happy to spend our first Christmas together. I had even tried to do a little Christmas baking last weekend, and pulled out some of Grandma Swan's recipes. I'm sure Charlie would be surprised when I offered him some of her shortbread on Christmas Eve.

It was just after eleven when my father explained that he was pretty tired, so I showed him to the guest room and he got settled. When I walked back to the main floor, Edward was finishing up the dishes and smiling happily to himself. "Why the smug grin?" I asked as I stood beside him and helped dry the plates he had finished washing.

"Your dad likes me," replied Edward.

"Charlie and Edward sitting in a tree…" I started singing through my laughter. Edward threw some dish water at me playfully, and had my father not been directly above us, things would have heated up quickly. Edward and I had implemented a 'no sex while my father was home' rule, so it had been almost ten hours since we had done it. I was already aching for him. "How strict is your rule?" I asked as I snaked my arm around his waist, tugging on his belt.

"Very strict," he responded as he pulled my hand away and handed me a small bowl. I felt a little disheartened, but I figured I should probably talk to him about what Charlie and I had discussed on the car ride from the airport.

"So, I have some big news," I said as I put the bowl away in the cupboard and reached for another dish.

"Big news like… Rosalie is pregnant big news or like Mc Hammer is going on tour with Vanilla Ice news," he said with laugh.

"You are clearly watching too much E!" I said with a small smile. Edward handed me another plate and looked at me, immediately sensing that something was wrong.

"Okay, what's the big news?" he sighed as he drained the water from the sink and dried his hands. Before I knew it, his hands were wrapped around my waist and his head was resting on my shoulder.

"Charlie and I had a pretty big discussion while stuck in traffic today." I sighed heavily. I wasn't exactly sure I was ready to deal with all of this, but I knew if anyone could offer objective advice, it would be Edward.

"Is he dating someone?" he asked, hopeful that Charlie would be as happy as we were.

"We talked about my mom. She's dying."

**Edward POV**

Bella's confession that her mother was sick was not what I had expected from her when she said she had big news. I don't know what I had been anticipating, but it definitely wasn't that. I stroked her hair softly as she continued to talk.

"He said she has cancer and she apparently wants to try to reach out to me. When Charlie told her that he was coming to see us for the holidays, she asked him to tell me about it." Before I knew it, she had started to cry. I pulled the towel from her hand and we headed up to our bedroom. I would lay her down on our bed, and reassure her, offer advice or do whatever it was she needed me to do. We both got changed rather quickly and hopped into bed. I pulled her beside me and resumed running my fingers through her hair.

"What do you want to do Bella?"

"I don't know. She pushed me away Edward. I tried to get in touch with her for years, with no luck. She wouldn't even answer an email from me. It was ridiculous that my mother didn't even want to spend time with her own daughter. Before Phil, we had been really close." Bella laid her head against my chest and I could hear her start crying again. "I don't want her to die thinking I wanted nothing to do with her."

"Well Bella, it sounds like you know what you want. You want to at least talk to her again. Maybe you could call her before Charlie leaves. Get the ball rolling. It would be good to get his support," I suggested as her tears and her breathing slowed. She was finally starting to calm down a bit, and I was relieved. I really prayed that Charlie was fast asleep and hadn't heard any of her crying. He may assume I had something to do with it, which was not the case. It wasn't much longer before Bella fell fast asleep on my chest.

It was a very restless sleep because when I woke the next morning, Bella had no covers on her and was shivering slightly. It was December 23rd after all. Later in the day, Bella had decided to go to Rosalie's while we held our poker game in the living room. Emmett brought over his poker table and set it up in the living room shortly before five, and the rest of the guys were expected around six. Emmett and Charlie spent the time until the poker game started watching college football on the big screen and discussing the various bowl games that would be on the following week. They were getting along like peas and carrots, and I had to laugh at the ease at which they got along.

Bella left just before six and warned me not to take too much of her father's money. "I already have his only child, I think he can keep his money," I said with a grin. Shortly after Bella left, Jasper arrived with a large selection of pizzas and an even larger assortment of beers. I knew Alice kept Jasper around for some reason, but it clearly wasn't his fashion sense because he walked in a loose and old Rolling Stones t-shirt and a pair of plaid flannel pajama pants.

"Dude, you look like a hobo," laughed Emmett as he took the pile of pizzas from Jasper.

"Alice was so busy today I was able to finally dress myself in something comfortable. Imagine always having to wear high end fashion all day, even when your hanging out at home. I usually have to hide these clothes from her so that she doesn't throw them out," sighed Jasper.

"Jazz, I'm married to Rosalie, of course I know what that is like," yelled Emmett from the kitchen.

"Aren't you glad you got Bella," laughed Charlie as he punched me gently on the shoulder and opened a beer. I nodded my head in agreement and we joined everyone else in the kitchen. Carlisle showed up a few minutes later and I introduced him to Charlie. They got along swimmingly and shortly after we had all eaten something, we started playing cards. Emmett insisted on dealing, which no one complained about. Seeing as the table was his, he was clearly the most advanced player among us. Jasper had actually never played and printed out a sheet from Wikipedia on basic poker rules. At least I wasn't that pathetic.

It was almost two hours and a few beers later when I noticed Charlie had the biggest stack of chips out of all of us. "So Charlie, did we miss seeing you on the recent World Poker Tour? I didn't know you were a ringer," laughed Emmett.

"Hardly, but I live in a small town and work for a police force that sees very little action except for the rare break in or drug bust. We play a lot of poker down at the station in our downtime," said Charlie with a grin. He was clearly more advanced than he let on.

"So Edward, did you ever tell Charlie how you and Bella met?" asked Emmett, clearly trying to start some sort of shit. Em knew the true story, but it wasn't what Bella and I told everyone. Even Carlisle and Esme were unaware of how we actually met. We didn't particularly find it right to tell our families about our drunken one night stand that eventually led to our engagement.

"I'm sure Bella has told him," I replied, trying to remain calm.

"She mentioned something about a New Years Eve party at Alice's place. Isn't that were you met Rosalie?" Charlie asked Emmett. Yes, good idea, deflect some of the attention onto Emmett.

"Yeah, that's where I met Rose. But Edward, didn't you already know Bella by then?" joked Em. Carlisle and Charlie both looked at me a little perplexed. Suddenly, it was feeling very warm in the house.

"Alice told me you guys met in October at some bar," said Jasper casually.

"Thanks Jazz," I muttered quietly under my breath with an angry glare in his direction. I watched as he shrugged his shoulders, apparently not aware of his screw up. Suddenly, I realized a way to get Emmett to shut up.

"No, it was at Alice's party. Emmett, Bella told me you really liked her dining room table. Why don't you tell Charlie how you like _his mother's_ dining room table," I said with a smirk. Charlie actually seemed very interested in the conversation at this point, and Emmett turned red in embarrassment.

"It's a very nice table. Very sturdy," commented Emmett as I laughed profusely.

"It's mahogany," commented Charlie as though he was actually pleased that Emmett liked the dining room table. Of course, I wouldn't be so bold as to tell Charlie why he liked it. _Actually Charlie, Emmett here enjoyed defiling your daughter's best friend on that lovely antique mahogany table._ Emmett glanced over to me and he knew better than to make any further comments. I had apparently won this battle, but based on Emmett's expression, the war was far from over.

Thankfully, it was only two hours later that everyone started to get tired and we finished the game. I was almost even by the end of the night, but Charlie and Jasper were the big winners. "And you all laughed at my little cheat sheet," said Jasper as Emmett helped him cash out. He had made almost a hundred dollars, and most of it had come from Carlisle.

"Beginner's luck," said Emmett as he finished cleaning up his table and I helped him carry it out to his car. Charlie took a few moments and walked Carlisle out to his car, and they talked casually for a while at the front door before my dad finally left. It was shortly after that when Charlie excused himself and headed off to bed, thanking all of us for an interesting evening.

"I'll be glad to take your money any time boys," he said with a grin as he ascended the stairs to the guest room. I quickly called Bella and told her that everyone was leaving and she was welcome to come home at any time. She told me she would be home as soon as she could, and we hung up. I noticed Emmett coming back up the stairs to the living room and as he helped me put the furniture back in place, I took a moment to call him out on his conversation during the game.

"Do not ever mention to Charlie how Bella and I originally met," I told him angrily. "Bella doesn't want him to know." Emmett sighed and quickly apologized. "Remember big brother, I have a lot of dirt on you, and I don't mean just the lovely mahogany table of Charlie's which you fucked Rosalie on. I'll do anything to protect Bella, just like you would for Rose, so don't make me use any of it."

"Okay, I get the picture. I'll keep my mouth shut," said Emmett as he thanked me for the evening and dragged Jasper out of the house with him. I spent the next twenty minutes cleaning up everything in the kitchen and just as I was finished, Bella came in the front door carrying a big bag of papers.

"What the hell is all that?" I asked as she placed it on the dining room table and sighed. It looked really heavy.

"This my sweet future husband are menu options for the wedding. It is also cake photos, wedding favor ideas, ceremony music recommendations, potential wedding programs and much more. This is pure hell," said Bella as she turned away from the bag in anger.

"So this is something we need to make decisions on soon huh?" I asked as I kissed her forehead. She nodded her head gently and I threw a towel over the bag so she couldn't see it anymore. "Well, we don't need to worry about it right now. Its eleven thirty at night and tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We are going to bed." I grabbed her hand tightly in mine and took her up to our room, shutting and locking the door behind us.

"How was the night?" asked Bella with a small smile.

"I had no idea your father was a professional," I said as I watched her undress, practically salivating because it had now been over thirty six hours since we last had sex. Bella caught me staring at her and put her hands on her hips in frustration.

"This no sex rule was your idea Edward, so don't look at me like that unless you plan to do something about it," said Bella with a sly grin as she seductively unclasped her bra and let it fall from her shoulders onto the ground. I threw a t-shirt at her and watched as she pulled it over her head. I changed the topic, desperate to discuss something other than sex.

"Jasper and your dad kicked ass, although they had different styles. Charlie was a natural and Jasper printed off a cheat sheet from the internet. Emmett almost busted us on the whole 'how we met' situation." Bella was climbing into bed when I said this and immediately whipped her head around to meet mine.

"What happened?" asked Bella as she looked both curious and angry.

"He kept pushing that we had met before Alice's party, and even Jasper stupidly threw his two cents in saying that he thought we had met before New Years. I cleared things up though and I asked Emmett to tell Charlie how much he liked Grandma Swan's dining room table." I watched as Bella smirked, knowing that probably shut Emmett up. "When everyone had left, I subtly mentioned to Emmett that if he said anything again about it, I would dredge up other things from his past that he is not too proud of."

"Ooh, like what?" said Bella as she beamed with excitement at the prospect of hearing some of the goods I had on Emmett. I climbed into bed beside her and we cuddled close together. I hadn't seen her smile this much in the past few days, so I shared a little with her.

"Let me just say that somewhere in this city are pictures of Emmett, in woman's lingerie, with a goat in the nearby vicinity. They aren't extremely dirty, but they are very suggestive." We both laughed with big smiles as I told a few more Emmett stories before we fell into a comfortable sleep in each other's arms.


	37. The Best Day

**A/N: I'm glad everyone enjoyed the little Emmett comments in the last chapter. I thought the poker game could use a little comic relief. Is it wrong of me to want to photoshop a picture of Emmett in lingerie with a goat in the background? LOL. My photoshop skills aren't that awesome, but I do own it. And the Renee thing was a last minute decision, which I hope will work out nicely for the ending of the story, which should probably be in about 5-8 chapters. Keep the wonderful reviews coming and feel free to PM me. I love all the conversations with my readers and they spur me to write faster!**

**Thanks Everyone!**

**Bella POV**

Christmas Eve was pretty quiet at our house. I finished wrapping all the remaining gifts after dinner, while Edward and my father watched a hockey game on TV featuring the Chicago Blackhawks. The fireplace was burning brightly and the Christmas tree was lit up and as I looked out to the living room, where the two men I loved most in the world were sitting, I couldn't help but think that my life was almost perfect. As I wrapped the shiny paper around the fish finder for Charlie, that Edward picked up at Bass Pro Shops earlier in the day, I couldn't help but turn my thoughts to Renee and how she was doing. Edward and I had discussed her for the past two nights before we went to bed, always with the exact same outcome, I was going to call her the day after tomorrow. Charlie was staying with us until the 27th, so he would be around when I made the call, which I was certain I would be thankful for.

A few minutes later, after I had finished wrapping the last gift, the timer on the oven went off signaling that my last batch of cookies was done. Charlie and Edward insisted on calling me Martha Stewart all day because of the sheer quantity of baking I had done. Esme had called a few days earlier and asked if I would bring some baked goods to their place for Christmas Day, and I had eagerly agreed. Anticipating that Emmett would probably be pretty hungry, I made twice as many as I would normally have made. I let the cookies cool for a bit before I brought a small plate to Edward and Charlie who were my official cookie tasters.

"What do we have this time?" asked Edward as I wandered over to the living room with the plate and nestled in beside him. They had already enjoyed my shortbread, macaroons, chocolate chip cookies and snickerdoodles.

"Gingerbread," I replied with a smile as I noticed Charlie grinning following his first bite.

"Grandma Swan's recipe, right Bells?" asked Charlie as I nodded in agreement. "You did good kid." It was eight thirty at night and I was officially exhausted. I grabbed the final gifts from the table and slipped them under the tree and the proceeded to get comfortable between Edward's legs on the couch and we cuddled while watching a 'Deadliest Catch' marathon with my father. I had no idea crab fishing could be so interesting. Even Edward was surprisingly fascinated by it. Once the episode was over though, Charlie announced he was heading off to bed. I think he just wanted to give Edward and me some private time, for which I was very appreciative.

Edward and I had agreed to exchange one gift tonight, and I was thoroughly excited. We had decided to only put 'safe' gifts under the tree, and if we bought each other anything that my father shouldn't see, we would wait until he was gone before we decided to open them. I knew Edward had a few gifts hidden in his office for this particular reason, but every time I tried to snoop; either he or Charlie caught me. My gift for Edward tonight was going to be me, in some scantily clad Christmas-esque lingerie. I was tired of his self-imposed rule and it was Christmas Eve. In the words of Turk from 'Scrubs', _I want to hit that!_

Once my father was asleep and we could hear his snoring throughout the house, Edward and I went upstairs to get ready for bed and exchange gifts. While he was undressing and apparently fetching my present, I headed into the bathroom and got changed into the red velvet teddy with feather trim across the bust. I even wrapped a big red bow around myself, eagerly hoping Edward would rip it off with his teeth. These past few days of Edward's imposed celibacy had really sucked and it was time I took charge of the matter. I wrapped my oversized bathrobe around myself and made sure he couldn't see anything before I headed out to the bedroom to join him. He was sitting cross legged in the bed, holding a small box. A small turquoise blue box.

"Where's my gift?" asked Edward impatiently as he fingered the bow on the box which he held in his lap.

"It's hidden. I think I should get mine first, because yours might take a while to unwrap," I said with a calculated laugh. Edward perked one eye brow at me and patted the bed for me to join him. I struggled a bit as I climbed up beside him as I attempted to hide what was under my bathrobe. Which in hindsight wasn't that much.

"What's with the robe?" he asked quizzically as I finally sat beside him.

"I'm cold. Don't worry about it, we'll be in bed soon and I'll be nice and warm then," I said with a smirk. Edward just kissed my hand and extended the box towards me. "Am I going to be mad because you spent too much?"

"Probably, but I don't care," sighed Edward as he watched me unwrap the box gently. I had never received anything from Tiffany's before and I was actually pretty excited. I was even more awestruck when I finally opened the box and found a beautiful pair of diamond earrings inside. I ran my fingers along them reverently and was almost crying I was so happy.

"They are stunning Edward," I said as I reached over and gave him a gentle kiss on his soft lips. I watched as he leaned back on his hands a bit, awaiting his gift. I put the jewelry box down on my nightstand and moved closer to him, kneeling in front of him, with my back straight. I slowly untied the belt around the bathrobe and let it slide off my shoulders and onto the bed behind me. I watched excitedly as Edward's eyes immediately grew lustful as he was taking in every inch of my body.

"No, you are stunning Bella," he said as he sat up on the bed and crawled closer to me. Edward reached up and pulled on the bow, smiling enthusiastically as it gradually fell from my waist. He gripped both it and the bathrobe and threw them off the bed quickly.

"I thought you had a rule about no sex this week?" I asked seductively as Edward starting running his hands up my thighs and nibbling my neck.

"Fuck the rules, I have a gift to appreciate," he said with a laugh as he wrapped his arms around my waist and threw me softly onto the bed. "Do you really like this sad excuse for lingerie Bella?" asked Edward as he pulled his head up from kissing my lips. I shook my head in disagreement and suddenly I felt his hands rip the fabric at the crotch of the teddy. His fingers were immediately all over my wetness as he pulled the top of the teddy down roughly to reveal my breasts, which he quickly latched his lips onto.

I moaned quietly in pleasure as his fingers ran circles around my engorged clit, and up and down my wet slit. It didn't take him too long to bring me to ecstasy because it had been over three days since we last had sex. I was practically dying over here and every time I had even suggested sex to him, he had rebuffed me.

I bit the pillow beside me to muffle my moans as I came hard on his talented fingers. The moment I had calmed myself, I looked up to see Edward peeling his shorts from his extremely eager body. Before I even had a chance to say anything sexy or dirty to Edward, he had grabbed my ankles held them high up in the air, and his hard cock was already buried inside me.

"No more self imposed sex exile?" I joked through my heavy breaths as he pumped his hardness inside of me. He shook his head from side to side and remained focused on the gift I was giving him. He let go of my ankles and my legs slid to his side as he ripped the front of the teddy down so that he had better access to my breasts. He started kneading them roughly at first, but then bent forward and began biting them. I had to pull the pillow back over my head to muffle the moans of pleasure that had overcome me.

Edward wasn't exactly gentle, but I didn't care. I might be walking odd for part of the day, but it was a small price to pay for the pleasure we were giving each other at that very moment. I wrapped my legs around his waist to force him into me deeper as I heard him call out my name quietly, signaling he was almost ready. His fingers found my clit and began pinching it gently as I bit down hard on my lip as I shook through another orgasm. I clenched my body tightly and felt him explode deep inside me, shivering slightly from his release.

I pulled him down to me and kissed him fiercely before he rolled free and lay down on his back, trying to relax his breathing. "Merry Christmas Edward," I said as I pulled the blankets up over his naked body before peeling myself out of the destroyed teddy. I tossed it across the room and slid back into bed beside him, placing my head on his chest. I felt him pull me closer to him and snake his arm around my waist.

"Merry Fucking Christmas Bella," he replied breathlessly.

**Edward POV**

I really, _really_ didn't want to get out of bed the next morning, but when I heard Charlie down in the kitchen doing god knows what, both Bella and I were concerned. Bella had repeatedly told me that he had no culinary skills whatsoever and I envisioned him destroying some of our expensive cook ware so that he could try to make us pancakes or something equally stupid. I kissed Bella good morning and thanked her for the excellent Christmas gift before we tossed on some casual pajamas and went to the kitchen, finding Charlie trying to make a pot of coffee. All that noise for a damned pot of coffee I laughed to myself.

"It's okay Dad, I'll get it done," said Bella as she wandered towards him sleepily and rubbed her eyes slowly. "Merry Christmas Dad," she said as she gave him a hug and started to prepare the coffee.

"Merry Christmas Bella, Edward," said Charlie as he nodded towards me politely. I had tried my best last night to keep our noises to a minimum, which was difficult for both Bella and I as we tended to be extremely noisy when having sex, and I really prayed that Charlie hadn't heard anything. Bella had always insisted he was a heavy sleeper, but I didn't need him to hear me having sex with his daughter, even if he already knew it was happening.

We had a small breakfast of bacon and eggs before we opened the gifts that were under the tree. There actually wasn't that many, not only because we didn't see the need to spend so much money on each other, but also because all of the good gifts to be given between Bella and I were hidden somewhere in the house because we felt they weren't particularly appropriate to open with Charlie here. I know I didn't want him to see the several items of extremely tiny lingerie I had purchased for his daughter. Bella and I had gotten Charlie a fish finder, some books on fishing and hunting, as well as a nice set of poker chips for use at the station. He had given us some practical gifts that Bella had wanted for the house including some new towels, bake ware and an awesome mixer which I knew we would both get good use out of.

It was just after one in the afternoon when we were pulling into the snow covered driveway of my parents' house. For once, we were the first to arrive. Charlie and I hauled all the presents into the house and put them under the tree while Bella carried the five containers of cookies into the kitchen for Esme's approval.

"Bella, you didn't have to do so much," she said as I watched Bella put them down on the counter and give her a big hug. Charlie and I walked into the kitchen behind Bella and I introduced him to my mom. Esme actually gave Charlie a hug, which I think surprised even him. She had definitely become a lot less temperamental ever since Rose and Em's wedding, and everyone was pleased by the turn of events.

Only five minutes after we came into the house did Rosalie and Emmett show up with their dog, Lunchbox.

"Mr. Swan," yelled Rosalie as she saw him from across the room and ran to him for a hug. Charlie was practically a second father to Rose, so they were both excited to see one another.

"You're looking good Rosie, practically glowing. Married life must agree with you," said Charlie as he smiled at Emmett and glanced down at the dog. "You can call me Charlie now that you are a married woman, Rosie."

"That's Lunchbox," said Emmett with a smile as he introduced Charlie to the pug. Emmett took him off his leash and he immediately ran to his corner of the kitchen where Esme had set up a little dog bed and dishes for food and water.

"Interesting name," smiled Charlie as the front door opened and in walked Alice and Jasper. It made me laugh to see Jasper all dressed up again, after catching him in his hideous plaid pants and band shirt just two days earlier. Since my mother had a tendency to go over board during the holidays, we had all agreed to rule stating that we bought only one gift for each couple, and Charlie. Esme arranged Bella's cookies on a fancy tray and put them on the coffee table of the living room for us to enjoy while opening gifts. Before anyone had even touched a present, Emmett had already eaten half a dozen shortbread.

Alice volunteered to hand the gifts out, and before we knew it, everything was opened and everyone was very pleased. Esme and Carlisle had gone overboard as expected and gave everyone plane tickets to Jamaica for our wedding, even Charlie, who was pretty awestruck by their generosity. We were all about to clear out of the room and clean up the wrapping paper, when Rosalie and Emmett suddenly stood up, declaring they had a special gift for Esme and Carlisle.

Bella and I both looked under the tree and saw no gifts left to open, so we were a little confused. Emmett pulled a small envelope from his back pocket and handed it to Esme as we all waited around, eager to see what the hell was going on. I watched as Bella glanced up at Rosalie who was practically bursting with excitement. Inside the envelope was a small picture.

"Is this what I think it is?" asked Esme as she practically bounced nervously on the couch. She showed the picture to Carlisle who broke out in a huge smile.

"We're going to be grandparents?" he asked incredulously as he waved the tiny black and white sonogram in the air. Emmett and Rosalie both confirmed and were suddenly enveloped in a big hug from both my parents. I glanced down at Bella and she was actually starting to cry.

"Are you okay?" I asked sweetly as I wiped a small tear away from her cheek.

"Yeah, it's just awesome. We're going to be an aunt and uncle," she said with a huge smile. I pulled her close to me and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Yeah, it's pretty awesome," I replied happily as we joined the rest of the family in offering congratulations to my brother and his wife. The rest of the evening was filled with conversations surrounding babies and weddings. Alice was a little too excited to start designing baby clothes for the future little Cullen.

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?" she asked, probably envisioning little outfits in blue or pink.

"Alice, it's the size of a peanut right now. We don't know too much about it. Just that it's there and it will be out in August," said Emmett with a hearty laugh. "And I promise everyone the name will be a lot more practical than Lunchbox." I glanced over at Esme and she breathed a sigh of relief at hearing that. I'm sure her head was swimming with peculiar names from the moment they announced the pregnancy. It was just after nine when everyone started to leave the party, including Bella, Charlie and myself, having celebrated one of the quietest Cullen family Christmases ever.

The next day around noon, Bella decided it was time to bite the bullet and call Renee. Charlie fetched her phone number from his cell phone and she wrote it down on a post-it note and laid it in front of her on the kitchen table as she stared at the phone.

"Take your time sweetie," I said as she started to nervously drum her fingers along the table. She suddenly grabbed the phone and started dialing. Apparently my words had spurred her on. Charlie paced around the living room almost as tense as Bella.

"Renee, it's Bella," she sighed quietly into the phone. I stood up from the table and gave them a bit of privacy. I went to the kitchen and helped myself to a Diet Pepsi and even though I tried not to, I could still hear parts of the conversation. They talked about the wedding and Bella even mentioned Rosalie's pregnancy. I thought I even heard Bella laugh once and when I looked over at Charlie, even he had a smile across his face.

The call didn't last nearly as long as I expected it to, but there was no animosity, which pleased us all. When she was done, Bella made plans to talk to Renee again next week, before hanging up the phone. I headed over to her and gave her a gentle hug. "That wasn't so bad was it?" I asked hopefully.

"Well, at least I got her on the phone. She had to leave for a doctor's appointment but we're gonna try to talk again next week. That was the most I had talked to her in almost five years," said Bella as she laid her head against my shoulder.

"I'm proud of you Bells," said Charlie as he walked into the room and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Dad," she sighed quietly into my chest as I hugged her again. "I'm gonna take this thing one call at a time and see where it leads." Which was all any of us could ask of her.


	38. How You Love Me Now

**A/N: Good Morning / Evening All. This is an all Bella POV Chapter. I really couldn't find a way to work in what I wanted to, while including Edward's POV, so I didn't. I doubt any of you will complain because you all seemed to want more Renee anyways, and she plays a part in the last half of the chapter.**

**Grtchn – have you been watching the new season of deadliest catch? It's been pretty good, but my heart was breaking for Phil on the first two episodes.**

**Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys!**

***I don't own twilight, but I do own this piece of writing I like to call a story, and I own a lot of play-doh, most of which is ground into the carpet of my living room. LOL!***

**Bella POV**

Charlie left the next day and even though I was glad to have my alone time with Edward back, I think we were both disappointed to see him leave. He had gotten along so well with the entire family that it felt like he had always been with us. I tried not to dwell on the fact that he was leaving, choosing instead to focus on the fact that I would see him again in three months for the wedding.

It was only four days later when Alice was throwing her annual New Year's Eve party. Edward and I agreed to make any appearance for Alice's sake, but neither of us was really into it. We wanted to be in our apartment lavishing attention and affection on each other. It was even harder to deal with because I knew Edward had a bottle of champagne chilling at home and it was practically calling to me. Alice's party was just as big, if not bigger, than last years and shortly after we arrived, we located Emmett and Rosalie in the kitchen chatting. "Happy New Year," said Edward as he hugged Rosalie and offered Emmett a quick brotherly pat on the back.

"I'm gonna go get us some champagne," said Edward as he kissed my cheek, headed towards the bar and I turned towards Rose and Emmett.

"So, how are you feeling Mommy?" I asked with concern in my voice. I looked up at Rosalie and she looked a little bit too tense for my liking. "Am I not supposed to call you that?"

"No Bella, its fine. I've been better. It's a little rough being the only sober person at a New Year's Eve party. If you need a ride home, let me know," she answered in frustration as I thought hard to recall a New Year's since high school where Rosalie wasn't piss drunk. I had no luck. I think besides her birthday, New Year's was Rosalie's favorite holiday.

"Don't worry baby, I'm drinking for two," said Emmett with a laugh as Edward came back to join us, with Jasper at his side. I took a quick sip of my drink and we all looked out to the mass of people gathered in the living room.

"I bet your missing your plaid pants tonight, huh Jasper?" asked Emmett as he punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Dude, shut up. Alice cannot know those still exist. I have promised her that they have been destroyed," sighed Jasper as, almost if on cue, Alice popped up in front of all of us.

"Bella, Edward. I am so glad you came," screeched Alice. She had clearly been drinking since earlier in the day because her breathe reeked of Vodka.

"We're not staying too long sis," said Edward with a remorseful glance at his twin sister. "Bella and I have plans later."

"Oh come on, you guys can wait till after midnight to have sex," laughed Emmett as he took another sip of the beer he was holding.

"Emmett, shut up about my sex life or I will mention one of the many things I am still holding over you," laughed Edward as we all watched in shock as Emmett actually kept his mouth shut. Rosalie looked over at me in curiosity. I knew this would come back to haunt me one day and she would ask me about it. I feared that moment and I hoped she wasn't pregnant at the time because I don't think I can turn down any request while she was pregnant. If she called at two in the morning requesting skittles, I would probably go pick them up for her and bring them to her home, but I wasn't going to let her know that. She had Emmett for that now.

"Rose, Edward and I finally made it through that entire bag of wedding samples and swatches you sent home with me before Christmas. I'll drop them off later this week so that you can make whatever arrangements need to be done," I said as I cozied up to her and offered a hug. She looked miserable that she had to remain sober, and I suddenly felt her pain, so I put my drink down on the bar in solidarity for my best friend.

"Bells, make sure you bring your trousseau to the office next week for the fitting," exclaimed Alice so loudly that virtually the entire party could hear her.

"Thanks Alice," I groaned at her as I remembered that I still had to pick out the lingerie I was supposed to wear under my wedding gown.

"Don't worry Bells, I'll go with you on the weekend to get it straightened out. La Perla perhaps?" said Rosalie as suddenly all three guys turned around, now interested in our conversation. "Oh stop it. She needs stuff for under her wedding dress. None of you should even be interested except Edward," sighed Rosalie as she smacked Emmett upside the head.

"What baby? I was remembering you in your trousseau," said Emmett as he tried to cover his reaction unsuccessfully and we all laughed at his lame attempt.

"Is this something I get to see before the wedding?" asked Edward in extreme curiosity. He was practically salivating as he spoke, and Rosalie and I both responded at the same time.

"No."

I don't know why he was even so excited, he had purchased several hundred dollars of lingerie for me for Christmas from La Perla and it was at home, just waiting to be used, most likely tonight. We hung around the party until almost eleven and when Rosalie and Emmett declared they were calling it a night, we decided to head out with them. I felt bad for Rose though because Emmett had clearly had way too much to drink. Thankfully she was sober and could definitely handle him.

Edward and I managed to get home just before eleven thirty and for a moment I thought Edward just wanted to get comfortable on the couch, drink our champagne and watch the ball drop from Times Square. Unfortunately, my assumptions were wrong because when I climbed the stairs to our room to get changed from my top and skirt, he had already brought up the champagne, as well as lit some candles in the room.

"Do you have something in mind Mr. Cullen?" I asked seductively as I walked into the room and kept my eyes on him. He strolled slowly across the room, swept me up into his arms and laid me in the center of our bed. "Don't you want me to get into something more comfortable?"

"Yes, I do. I want you to be in nothing. That's comfortable right?" asked Edward as he pulled my shirt off over my head and tossed it towards our closet.

"Yeah, that's comfortable," I said with as a breathless sigh as he began kissing my neck softly at first, then with more fervor. I could feel his hands moving to the waist of my dress, searching for the zipper so he could pull it off of me, which he did only three seconds later. I slipped my hands between us and started to unbutton his shirt haphazardly. When each button was free, my hands immediately went to his shoulders and quickly started pulling the shirt off of him.

"In a hurry are we?" he asked as he pulled back and leaned on his knees. I reached eagerly for his belt, but he pushed my hands away. I was lying in front of him in just my bra and panties, and he was still half dressed. I was getting frustrated.

"Not in a hurry per say, just eager," I replied as I decided to taunt him a little bit and I removed my bra seductively. I watched his eyes widen in lust and anticipation and then he reached his hands tenderly up the sides of my legs to slide my panties off of me. Edward leaned forward and placed small kisses across my stomach down towards my thighs, where his hands still lay. I looked up at Edward and his messy hair was now falling over his eyes, which were alit with fire and desire. "See something you like?"

Edward just nodded his head and began unbuckling his belt as quickly as possible, jumping off the bed and pulling his pants and boxers off eagerly. Before I even realized it, he was back in his previous position on the bed, on his knees leaning back on his ankles, looking down upon my naked form. He bent forwards towards me and we started kissing frantically, his hands running all over my body as I began digging my nails along his back and I moaned in pleasure when his tongue began licking my breasts. The moment his lips wrapped around my nipple, I was arching my back in pleasure, because his fingers were now between my legs, gently rubbing my wetness.

"Fuck," I groaned in breathless anticipation as Edward slipped one finger inside of me and used his thumb to rub my clit. As his movements sped up, my body began thrashing below him involuntarily. It was sheer pleasure and pure hell at the exact same time. I wanted so much more at that moment. "I need you," I panted as Edward released my breast and leaned back to gaze down at me.

"What do you want Bella?" he asked as he reached his hand between my legs and started to tease my clit. I gripped the bed and murmured quietly to myself, trying to express myself. "What do you want Bella?" he asked again as he slid two fingers inside me and began pumping his hand swiftly.

"You," I shouted out loudly, but Edward didn't stop his movements.

"What was that sweetie?" he asked as he bent towards my face and kissed me gently, still finger fucking me, moving quicker now.

"Fuck me," I screamed out, not really caring if all of Chicago could hear my declaration. Even though Edward and I had had sex since my father left, it was always loving and gentle and I wanted it hard and rough all of a sudden. It took Edward only a moment to position himself between my legs, his hard cock resting right against my entrance. He grasped my thighs in his hands and thrust himself into me quicker than ever before. I shrieked in pleasure through my clenched teeth and Edward immediately stopped, and a scared look crossed his face.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked tenderly. I shook my head in disagreement and wrapped my legs around his waist to pull him further inside me. Thankfully my yelling didn't scare him off because he began pumping into my wet slick pussy as hard as he could. I began chanting his name as his thumb began encircling my clit, making me tense up and prepare to cum for him. I glanced up at Edward and he was completely focused on my pleasure, which made me all the more excited. As he bent forward and kissed me harder than I thought possible, I was suddenly overtaken by my pleasure and began to shudder uncontrollably from my orgasm.

Edward's hands moved from my wetness, to grip my ass and he was lifting me from our bed at a slight angle as he kept pounding his cock inside of me. The position I was now in provided me with another release as Edward deepened his movements. He started panting , moaning and cried out my name as he released inside me, with a big grin overcoming his face. I couldn't help but smile right back at him as he collapsed beside me on the bed and began covering my lips in gentle kisses.

'"I love you," I said sweetly as I rested my head on his chest and listened to his breathing calm down slowly.

"I love you more. Happy New Year Bella," he replied with a satisfied smirk on his beautiful face.

The next few weeks were filled with more wedding details, photography assignments and hours upon hours of love making with Edward. By the end of January, I had managed to arrange four more phone conversations with Renee, but none of them seemed to last too long. She was always either too tired or had an appointment or therapy to attend too. At first I thought it might just be that she didn't want to talk to me, but after talking to Charlie about it, he explained that she really wasn't doing as well as the doctors had initially hoped. He explained that Renee had told him that my phone calls were one of the best parts of her week though, so we continued with our calls. Edward had just gone off to a Tuxedo fitting with Emmett, Jasper and Carlisle, so I took a moment to give her a call.

"Hi," I said nervously into the phone as Renee answered.

"Hi Bella," she replied anxiously.

"How are things going?" I was truly stuck for conversation whenever I called her because I didn't want to focus on her cancer; I wanted to talk to her about her. I figured it might help her if I could take her mind off of it, even for a little while.

"Same old shit, "said Renee, sounding tired and in a bit of pain. "I did some therapy this morning, so I'm feeling a bit off. "

"We can reschedule anytime you know," I offered. I was genuinely concerned for her, and I had a feeling that before long, Edward and I would be making a visit to Forks to see her before the wedding. He had mentioned it after my last conversation with her, and it seemed like a good idea, but we just couldn't fit it into our schedule. From the tone of her voice, I knew it was going to have to happen sooner rather than later.

"No Bella, now is as good a time as any to talk. How are the wedding arrangements going?" she asked curiously. I explained to her that Edward was out for one of his final fittings and that we had finalized the cake design and flavors, the wedding bands and a few other minor details. Edward and I had sent her an invitation to the wedding after all, but she had to decline because she wasn't strong enough to fly. When she told me this during our last call, I was actually a bit disheartened. I hadn't actually expected her to be able to come, but part of me really wanted her to be there with us. "How is Rosie doing?"

"She's fine mom. She's only like 3 months along, so she's not showing yet. She should be showing a bit by the time the wedding comes along, so now Alice has to redesign her dress a bit. She always spends a lot of time in the bathroom puking though. I'm not exactly looking forward to that when Edward and I decide to have kids," I said with a slow groan.

"It's worth it Bella. Every single little stretch mark, odd craving, vomit session and pain is worth it when you are holding your baby. Are you and Edward planning to try soon?"

"No. We want definitely want a few little ones running around here, but I think we will revel in being an aunt and uncle for a little while before we start trying," I said genuinely. Edward and I actually hadn't talked about kids in a while, but I knew neither of us was ready yet. Things were too good right now. We talked for a little while more about what Edward and I had planned for the future and Renee started to sound even more tired, so we ended our call. When I looked at the phone, we had been talking for almost an hour, which was a record for us. I smiled contentedly at the phone before putting it back on the receiver and heading to the kitchen to start dinner. Edward came home only thirty minutes later, walking into the kitchen and handing me a big bouquet of stargazer lilies.

"I love you," he said as he offered me the flowers and swept me up into a big hug.

"I love you too. What's going on? How was the fitting?" I asked excitedly as I stirred the pasta sauce that was simmering on the stove.

"Eh, it was alright. Nothing special. People poking, pinning and measuring me. Alice joined us though, apparently she's a perfectionist in regards to our attire too," he said with a sigh. I could just picture Alice shouting at the tailors regarding their suits. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall for that face off. "Spaghetti?" asked Edward as he eyed up the pot I was still stirring. I just nodded my head in acknowledgement.

"I called Renee," I said quietly as Edward went to the fridge to get himself a beer.

"Oh. How did that go?" he asked with concern as he took a sip of his Guinness.

"She's didn't sound any better. Our conversation lasted a lot longer than usual, but she was so tired when we got off the phone, I thought I was going to start crying. Remind me not to call her again unless you are around," I said as my voice cracked a little bit.

"We should clear our schedules and go see her next weekend," Edward offered sweetly as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.

"I think you're right," I said quietly as Edward left to go check flight and rental car options. After dinner I called Alice and cleared my schedule for Thursday and Friday of next week. I knew I wouldn't have an issue with her; after all, I am marrying her twin brother in less than two months. I called Charlie right after I got off the phone with Alice, and he was pretty excited to hear that we would be visiting.

"You guys can stay here, and I won't even make Edward sleep on the couch or anything," laughed Charlie happily.

"Can you tell Renee we are coming, but don't make it seem like we are coming JUST for her, even if we are?" I asked Charlie nervously. I knew he didn't want to keep things from Renee, but I thought if she knew we were coming only to see her, that she wouldn't be interested in seeing us. She was stubborn like me in that regards. Charlie reluctantly agreed and Edward booked our flights online as we were talking.

"We'll be in Forks around dinner time on Thursday. Please don't cook anything for dinner. We'll order in. See you later dad," I said with a small grin. I was actually glad to be heading home. I wanted to show Edward where I grew up, maybe even run into some old friends, but I really wanted to see my mom. For the first time in many years, I actually missed her.


	39. Feeling This

**A/N: Here's the new chapter, the Renee Chronicles, if you will. It was hard to build any happiness or humor into the chapter, but I worked with what I had. I hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, they make my day!**

**Bella POV**

As our rental car pulled up in front of Charlie's non-descript white house an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty washed over me. The lawn was covered in snow, but the roads and driveway were clear because luckily for us, it hadn't snowed in a few days. Charlie was standing on the front porch in a pair of faded jeans and a flannel button down shirt. He actually looked older than he had when we saw him a few months ago for Christmas.

"Hey Bella, Edward," shouted Charlie as he stepped from the porch to greet us at the car. I was caught off guard as he gave each of us a hug and ushered us out of the cold and into the house. "It's good to see you two. I just wish it was under different circumstances," said Charlie with a heavy sigh as Edward and I nodded in agreement.

"She's still in the dark about the visit right?" I asked Charlie as Edward took our luggage upstairs to my old bedroom.

"Yeah, she has no idea. I did check her schedule with her though and she had chemo today, so she'll be feeling pretty good tomorrow. I think it's best if you see her then," he explained as he sat down at the kitchen table and took a sip from his beer. "Oh, I ordered some pizza for dinner."

"Thanks Dad," I said as I peeled off my coat and hung it on the coat rack behind the door. "I was going to give Edward the grand tour of Forks tomorrow, but that should take all of ten minutes," I said with a laugh as Edward returned to the room. Our dinner was a fairly quiet event, and as we ate there was general conversation about the wedding and our trip from Chicago to Seattle. Charlie ended up going to bed early since he had the early shift the next morning. Edward and I ended up cuddling on the couch and watching 'Cannonball Run' because Charlie didn't own a single movie that didn't have Burt Reynolds in it, and this was the best of the worst. I ended up falling asleep less than an hour into the movie and Edward carried me up to my room and put me to sleep.

The next morning, Edward and I headed to the local dinner for breakfast because Charlie's complete lack of cooking abilities meant the kitchen and fridge were practically bare. We couldn't even scrape together a bowl of cereal. After we had finished breakfast, I gave Edward a quick tour of Forks and we visited my old high school, my old jobs and our final stop was the police station where Charlie insisted on introducing his future son-in-law to everyone in the building, including the two inmates.

"Bells, Here's your mom's address. She moved a couple of years ago and I forgot to leave it out for you this morning," said Charlie has he handed me a slip of paper with his chicken scratch on it, which I could hardly read. "It's 2984 Miller Road," he said with a sheepish grin. Now that I had the address, things felt a little more real to me. I was even more anxious.

"Should I call her first?" I asked Charlie as Edward walked outside to start the car.

"I already talked to Phil. He's expecting you," sighed Charlie with a small smile. "If you need me Bells, I'll be right here until five. See you later."

I walked out to the car to join Edward, my hands already shaking in anticipation. As I sat in the passenger seat, Edward could see my reluctance. "It's going to be fine baby. I'll be right there with you," he said supportively. I gave him directions to Miller Road, which was only a few blocks away and the closer we got to the house, the tighter I was gripping Edward's free hand. When we pulled up to the house, Edward reached into the back seat and grabbed the small bag of items we had brought for Renee, and waited patiently for me to open the door.

"Okay, let's do this," I said with a sigh a few moments later, as I stepped from the car and walked slowly up to the steps, with Edwards hand in mine. He knocked gently and we waited patiently for a few moments as Phil came to the door and welcomed us in. He didn't look too different from the last time I saw him. A little older, a little heavier, but still the same Phil.

"It's good to see you Bella," he said as he offered up an uneasy hug. He then extended his hand towards Edward. "You must be Edward."

"Yeah, this is Edward Cullen, my fiancé," I replied as a large smile crossed my face. I hadn't had many chances to use the term and my time was running out since the wedding was six weeks away.

"Renee's in the living room reading a book," said Phil with a slight laugh, as we followed slowly behind him. When I turned to look into the room, Renee was sitting in an oversized recliner, with blankets surrounding her. She looked at least twenty years older, but it had only been five years since I saw her last. Her eyes were darkened, her hair was thinning and she looked absolutely exhausted. I glanced down onto her lap and she was reading Edwards' book. A smile broke out on both of our faces and we walked further into the room.

"I hear that's a good book," I said with a smile as I walked towards her. Her eyes lit up at the sight of us. "Do you want an autographed copy?" I asked with a laugh as I poked Edward in the side.

"Bella, what are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly as she went to move from the seat.

"Stay still Renee, we can come to you," I said with a gentle smile as I walked towards her and offered her a hug. Her body was fragile and I felt like I would break her with the smallest movement. "This is Edward," I said with a smile as he stood beside me and Renee eyed him up.

"Your picture on the back cover doesn't do you justice," she said with a smile as Edward hugged her as well. We sat down on the couch beside Renee and he immediately grabbed my hand, sensing my sadness and concern.

"Well, Bella and I were broken up for a small time and that was when the picture was taken," he said reluctantly as he squeezed my hand.

"That certainly explains the sadness in your eyes. It clearly doesn't exist anymore. You seem like the most content person I have ever met," said Renee as she put the book down on the end table beside her and took a sip of her tea.

"It's easy to be content when you're about to marry the girl of your dreams," Edward answered with a smile. Phil interrupted us for a quick moment to see if we wanted anything to drink or eat, but we both politely declined.

"You never told me why you were in town Bella?" asked Renee again as she turned towards us with a simple yet lovely smile.

"We came to visit Dad for a few days. Edward hadn't had a chance to visit Forks yet and seeing you again was just the icing on the cake," I said tentatively. I hoped she believed me because I really didn't want to tell her we were only here because the doctors weren't optimistic about her treatment.

"It's wonderful to see you, regardless of why you are here." Renee and I chatted amiably for a little while longer until Edward excused himself to use the bathroom. While he was gone, I fished a picture from my purse to show her.

"This is beautiful Bella," she said with the biggest smile I had seen from her yet. The photo was taken by Rosalie, and it was of me in my wedding dress from my most recent fitting. "That dress looks stunning on you. Where did you buy it?"

"I didn't buy it. Edward's sister Alice is a fashion designer. This is actually an original creation that we thought up together. It's perfect for a wedding on the beach, don't you think?" I asked nervously as she went to hand the photo back to me. "You can keep it, and I'll make sure Charlie brings you photos from the ceremony in a few weeks."

"Thanks Bella," Renee said with a small smile as she slipped the photo into Edward's book, just as he walked back into the room.

"So, what do you think of the book?" asked Edward as he sat down beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"It's not bad. It has a good mix of humor, romance, and drama. Too bad stuff never happens like that in real life," she said with gentle laugh. "It's like a movie or soap opera."

"Mom," I said with a grin, "That's basically the story of Edward and I," I explained to her. She looked at me incredulously and I told her about how Edward and I met, the alternate version without the one night stand, and how we fell in love. Even though she was clearly getting tired, she was enthralled by the story and wanted to hear more about our love story. So we told her, and it was freeing to talk to her about it. I started to notice her eyes getting hooded, and Edward went to get Phil who explained that Renee usually napped for a few hours around this time. We had been there for almost two hours, so we excused ourselves and promised to visit again before we left on Sunday. As we walked to the car, I felt not only relieved but incredible sadness.

"She doesn't look that good," I said with a frown as Edward climbed into the car beside me. He just nodded his head in agreement as I continued to talk. "I'm glad we came. Phil said we could come back tomorrow before two because that was when they would have to leave for her next chemo appointment. Do you think she'll get better?"

"I don't know Bella. I'm not her doctor nor do I know anything about cancer. Carlisle's got some friends at the hospital who could probably review her case if you were interested though?" he offered sweetly.

"Perhaps I'll mention it to her, although from the look of things today, she seems resigned to her fate, which is sad. I wish she would try harder." I complained as we drove back towards Charlie's house.

"I'm sure she's doing the best she can Bella." When we got back to Charlie's place, he still wasn't home, so Edward and I went upstairs to my room to lay down for a bit while we waited for him. I slipped off my sweater and shoes and climbed under the covers with Edward who wrapped his arm around me comfortably. "So, what's with the Cabbage Patch Kids?" he asked as he pointed to a bookshelf in the corner where some of my old dolls and stuffed animals were located.

"Hey, leave Darla Sue and Dwight Sylvester alone," I said with a grin. "Charlie and Renee bought them for me for Christmas when I was like four. I guess Santa brought them, but Charlie and Renee paid for them."

"They look pretty haggard Bella," he said with a laugh.

"Yeah well, they went everywhere with me for like five years. When we have a daughter one day, she'll love playing with them. That's why they are still there. I tried to sell them in a garage sale, but Renee insisted that one day my children would want them, so there they sit, awaiting our children," I said happily as Edward began to stroke my hair.

"We should definitely disinfect them before they get anywhere near our brood," he laughed heartily as he then spent the next thirty minutes making fun of all the random things in my bedroom, especially some of my old books and CD's. I was about to beat the crap out of him for some of his comments, when we heard Charlie's cruiser pull in the driveway. We headed downstairs to join him and make plans for dinner.

"Well actually, Sue has invited us over for dinner. Seth and Leah are away at college still and she's feeling the side effects of the empty nest," said Charlie as he hung his gun up on the coat rack.

"Dad… are you dating Sue Clearwater?" I inquired curiously.

"Yes Bella. I am dating Sue. We have been for a little bit," said Charlie apprehensively as Edward gave him a playful punch to the shoulder.

"You old dog you. Go get you some," he laughed as Charlie blushed and headed upstairs to get changed. The rest of our evening was surprisingly pleasant. Sue made an excellent dinner and was very cordial and polite to Edward and me, even going so far as to offer up a few jokes as we drank coffee after dinner. She clearly missed her kids but I could see she was a good influence on Charlie. No wonder he didn't even have milk or coffee in the house, he was always at Sue's. We left four hours later and for the first time in a while, I felt like Charlie was actually happy. It was a little awkward to see him kiss her goodnight though as we climbed back into the car. "Do you think your father would shoot me if I started teasing him about having a girlfriend?"

"Yes baby, I do." I said in all seriousness as Charlie got in the passenger seat beside Edward and we headed back to the house. "You should bring her to the wedding Dad," I said as we started driving home. He didn't say anything, but nodded in acknowledgement.

The next day, Edward and I took Charlie with us for breakfast at the diner before all three of us went to see Renee. She was in good spirits and apologized profusely for being so tired the day before. Conversation flowed happily throughout the entire visit, even though Charlie and Phil kept leaving the room together to talk in private. I hated their secrets and reminded myself to chide Charlie on it later in the day. I didn't care if he hid things from Renee based on her condition, but I needed know what was going on. I wasn't going to be kept in the dark anymore.

"Bella," Renee started talking after a brief moment of uncomfortable silence. The TV was turned on to the Discovery Channel and no one was paying attention. "I'm sorry about what happened between us." I turned towards her and tried to take in each one of her words, because I had been waiting years for an apology. "I'm sorry I stopped contacting you. You didn't deserve to be shut out the way you were, and I honestly had no logical explanation for it."

"I wish I could say I understood what you did, but I don't. Although it doesn't change the past, I don't hold it against you. I was hurt and confused, but I got past it, and I'm sitting here because I still care about you and love you and I want to see you get better," I said nervously through my tears. "I forgive you for not trying, and I hope you can forgive me for not trying harder." Edward gripped my hand tenderly, but I pulled back from him and reached over to hug my mom. It killed me that it took her getting cancer for us to pull our heads from our asses and reconnect.

"You have no reason to be forgiven Bella. You were an excellent daughter and I failed you as a mother. I know you will be ten times better with your own children then I was with you," she said as she reached for a tissue to clear her eyes.

"Sorry to break up the tear fest, but we have to get Renee ready for her next appointment," said Phil as he came into the living room and helped her from her chair. Seeing her move across the room as slowly as she did made the situation even worse for me. I clung to Edward as more tears fell from my face.

"We'll be back tomorrow morning before we head back to the airport, if that's alright with you?" asked Edward as though he was reading my mind.

"That should be fine," responded Phil as he helped Renee slip her jacket on and assisted her out to the car. We waited on the porch and watched them drive away towards Port Angeles. Once they were gone, I turned towards Charlie to find out why he was being secretive with Phil earlier.

"There's no reason to hide these things from me," I said fiercely as we all got into the car.

"You're right Bella. You're old enough to know what's going on. I know I don't have to sugar coat anything. Phil was telling me how Renee's appointment went on Thursday, and it wasn't well. Her side effects are getting worse and he said she slept for over five hours after you and Edward left yesterday. Usually her naps are only one to two hours tops," said Charlie through clenched teeth. "She's tough though. She's trying to hold out as long as possible, even though she knows her days are numbered." I had stopped crying and was now trying to compose myself and be strong, because that was what Renee needed from me.

When we got back to Charlie's, he and Edward gave me some privacy and I took a warm bath to calm myself as much as I could. We had a quiet dinner and we continued our Burt Reynolds film fest and watched 'Smokey and the Bandit.' Once the movie was over, we all headed to sleep, but my sleep was very restless because I kept thinking about Renee.

The next morning, Edward and I packed our bags and enjoyed our final breakfast at the diner with Charlie and Sue. After our comfortable farewells, where Sue promised to keep an eye on Charlie for me, Edward and I headed over to Renee and Phil's place. Unfortunately, yesterday's therapy had taken its toll on Renee and she was sleeping when we got there. We waited around for a little while and talked to Phil about anything and everything we could think of. I kept glimpsing back to the living room where Renee was asleep in her big recliner.

"Babe, we're gonna have to go soon," said Edward reluctantly as he glanced at his watch. We only had four hours to get back to Sea-Tac for our flight. I left a quick note for Renee asking her to call me as often as she could and promised we would visit again after the wedding. Before we left, I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and thanked Phil for taking such good care of her.

As we drove down the highway back towards Seattle, my eyes filled with tears and I felt remorseful for not being able to say a proper goodbye to her. "We'll be back as soon as we can. I have a feeling Renee is tougher than we all give her credit for," said Edward soothingly as he intertwined his hand in mine. I instantly felt relaxed from his touch. I decided I would spend as much time as I could talking to Renee, when I wasn't working or finalizing wedding details, and this is what would fill the next six weeks before we left for Jamaica.


	40. Hurts So Good

**A/N: I think this might actually be one of my longest chapters of this story. This would be the bachelor / bachelorette party fun. I didn't do a lot of detail on the bachelor party, but I think I might do an outtake sometime soon that provides a little more insight.**

**And for all those awesome readers that have been asking… the wedding week starts next chapter. I think the actual wedding will be the following chapter though. I hope everyone has a great weekend! Enjoy the chapter and review your little hearts out… enjoy the lemony goodness I have provided. I hope it's good. Bella and Edward seemed to like it. LOL.**

**Oh, and opal2084, I think I love you even more thanks to your most recent reviews. I would make you a lovely batch of cookies if I could, or a mix tape complete with some awesome tunes I haven't mentioned in my stories ******

**Bella POV**

"This is absolutely ridiculous," I sighed as I slipped the itchy t-shirt over my head and glanced at myself in the mirror and shuddered involuntarily.

"Bella, shut up," said Alice as she tossed me a short jean skirt and leggings to complete the outfit.

"You insisted we could do whatever we wanted for the bachelorette party, so put the damn clothes on so we can meet up with everyone else," said Rosalie in frustration. "And don't even get me started about how I can't drink. I'm ecstatic to be pregnant and all, but this baby is cramping my social life and it's the size of a peanut."

There was ten days left until the wedding. Ten busy, nerve-wracking, stressful days and tonight I was being dragged to a Karaoke bar looking like a redneck bride in a jean skirt and tacky white t-shirt bedazzled with the word 'bride'. I felt like a complete idiot. I couldn't even believe this night was here already. The last month and a half went by quicker than I anticipated. Renee and I started talking every other night, discussing whatever topic came to mind. Some nights we would discuss the wedding or the things Edward and I were planning for our future. Other times she would tell me about the books she was reading, the TV shows she was watching or she would describe in detail all the blankets she was knitting for the babies Edward and I would eventually have. She had already finished four since we visited her at the beginning of February, and I didn't even know she could knit. Recalling these moments reminded me whit it was important to go out tonight; I needed to take my mind off of Renee, and she kept insisting to me that I continue with my plans as usual. Which was why we weren't postponing the wedding, even though the topic had come up recently between Edward and I.

"Fine, I'm ready to go," I said a few moments later with an anxious sigh. Alice and Rosalie grabbed my hands enthusiastically and dragged me from the comfort of my home. Edward had already been gone for over an hour to his bachelor party. When Emmett dropped Rosalie off, he practically kidnapped Edward and shoved him in the SUV, calling out to me that he would return him in one piece. It completely reminded me of the scene in 'Old School' where they kidnapped a guy who had been doing groceries to initiate him into their fraternity. Unfortunately, I had visions of him coming home scarred for life. Who knows what Emmett has planned for them? I seriously hope he doesn't end up traumatized. "Do you guys know what the boys are doing tonight?"

"We're not telling you. So let's pretend Alice and I don't know," said Rosalie as she launched into another tirade about not being able to drink because of the pregnancy.

When we finally pulled up in front of the bar, I was surprised to see where we were. It was the same karaoke bar we went to almost a year ago after Jaspers gallery opening. The same bar where I had angrily screamed Damien Rice lyrics to my ex-boyfriend Seth. The same bar where my soon to be husband sang 'Can't Take My Eyes Off of You' to me and we reunited after our particularly heinous break-up. I hoped that tonight would be another happy night like the last. Rosalie ordered two rounds of shots for our little group of ten, called Slippery Nipples, and they were surprisingly good. She had invited a few of the girls from the office like Angela, Nicole and Erin in addition to a couple of our old friends from college. I felt bad when I saw Rose order herself a diet soda.

"Don't worry Rosie, I'll drink enough for both of us", I said with a laugh as I grabbed the playlist and tried to think of something I could sing later in the night, when I had enough booze in my system. I laughed as a small group of friends took the stage and started singing 'Benny and the Jets'. Edward had wanted to sing it next time we went to karaoke together, which never materialized on our last trip because he sang Frankie Valle to me instead. Alice had decided before we even walked into the bar that she was going to sing 'Like a Virgin', which I thought was absolutely hilarious. "You haven't been anything like a virgin for like eight years Alice."

"I told you earlier to shut it Bella, and I will continue to do so all night if you keep this up," she replied sarcastically as she looked around the bar anxiously. Rosalie decided upon singing 'True Heaven Is A Place on Earth' by Belinda Carlisle and I laughed even more at her than I did at Alice.

"1987 called and they want their music back Rose," I said sarcastically as she glared at me.

"I won't be able to sing anything decent because I can't drink. I'm taking the easy way out and this is the only song I'm singing," she said in frustration. I ignored her latest rant about not being able to drink and resumed reading the list for a decent song. The selection hadn't improved in the eight months since we were here last. We all sat around chatting amiably and enjoying all the additional shots Rosalie kept ordering for us. Each one getting more sexual in nature, which I found extremely funny. Before it was even ten o'clock, I had already had a dirty nipple, a horny bull, sex on the beach, a screaming orgasm and my favorite the cum shot which was made from butterscotch schnapps, bailey's and whip cream. I insisted Rosalie continue to order those for me for the rest of evening. I was actually pretty rude about it, but I was almost 6 shots in by then, she understood.

We sat through a really bad version of 'Hard to Handle' by the Black Crowes when Alice finally got up the nerve to go to the stage to sing her song. She was still looking around the bar, but seemed to relax as she took the stage and looked towards the door. _What the fuck were they doing there?_ I thought to myself as I watched Emmett, Edward, Jasper and the rest of their friends stroll into the club.

"I thought we weren't supposed to be together for these damned parties?" I asked Rosalie with a slight bit of anger.

"My bachelorette party got busted by those guys, so it's only fair that yours does too," she said with a laugh as I slunk down into the booth and hid myself for a moment. I was happily on the road to being hammered, and I needed to compose myself. I listened to Alice belt out her Madonna song and when she was done, she didn't return to our table. Not that I expected her too, since Jasper was nearby. They always seemed to radiate to each other, and it was adorable. I was certain they would be engaged not too long after Edward and I got married.

"What are you doing?" asked Edward as he peeked his head over the top of the booth and found me practically lying down on the bench.

"I dropped something," I said with a nervous smile and sat back up properly.

"What did you drop Bella?" he said suspiciously, as he looked around our table and noticed all my shot glasses. I had been building a pyramid earlier in the evening.

"My liver," I said with a hearty laugh as our waiter Mark strolled back to the table with another drink.

"Here's your cum shot, Bella," he said with a wide smile. I watched as Edward's eyes bugged out of his head in surprise.

"It's the name of the drink baby," I stuttered nervously as I drank it down quickly and he sat beside me. "What are you doing here?"

"This is apparently what we are doing tonight? We drank heavily at Emmett's and played poker and now we are here with you guys. Apparently since Rosalie can't drink, she wants Emmett to suffer with her, so he's sober too," said Edward as he leaned closer to me and kissed my neck. "I'm very drunk though," he laughed happily at me.

"Me too!" I said a little too enthusiastically. "Are you going to sing for me again?"

"I don't know 'bride'" he said as he ran his finger over the rhinestone letters which covered my breasts. "This shirt is really sexy."

"Maybe if you sing me a song, you can see what's underneath the shirt," I said seductively as I winked at him and licked my lips. Perhaps it was overkill, tossing in three of my moves in at once, but I was drunk and he was looking fucking hot.

"Have you sung yet?" he asked curiously as he continued to run his fingers along my chest. He stopped suddenly as Emmett walked over to us and slapped a baseball cap over Edward's hair. His hat said 'Groom' and was almost as hideous as my shirt. I pulled it off immediately, because I hated when Edward wore hats. I actually threw out three of them when we packed for the move. His hair was far too sexy to be covered up, I told myself as I ran my fingers through it longingly.

"No, not yet. I can't decide," I said with a drunken sigh. "Now that you are here though, I might need to change my criteria for my song choice."

"I already know what I am going to sing," said Edward as he started to rub my thigh and we watched Emmett get on the stage. We both broke out in fits of laughter as he started to sing 'You're Having My Baby' by Paul Anka. Rosalie was seated beside me and she was all smiles. It was one of the most adorable things I had ever seen, and if I had a few more drinks in me, I might have become nauseous.

"Oh, and what's that?" I asked with a grin. He shook his head from side to side.

"No way Bella, you sing first and then I'll sing. Here let me order you another shot to build up your courage," he said excitedly. Edward flagged down Mark and ordered himself a whiskey and another cum shot for me. "That shot name is seriously disturbing sweetie." I glanced down the list again, with a new mission in mind. Something more romantic. Something sweet. Something more Edward and I. I was originally going to go for something fun like the B52's, but that wouldn't be as interesting now. I grabbed the shot that Mark left and took it immediately, letting the warmth burn my throat and then I motioned for Edward to get out of the booth so that I could go sing.

"It's about damned time," said Rosalie with a smile as Emmett sat back down beside her and gave her a sweet kiss as he rubbed her stomach tenderly. I composed myself as best as I could and told the DJ which song I wanted. He even introduced me and everyone gave me a round of applause, since I was going to be married in a few days. Even Edward clapped happily back in our booth.

The music started slowly as I started to sing along with it. It was one of my mother's favorite songs. I wasn't a big fan of country music, but I knew all the words to this one, and it was fitting.

I found myself staring at Edward with a stupid grin on my face as I sang the chorus; _I believe in love, I believe in love. Love that's real, love that's strong, Love that lives on and on. Yes, I believe in love._ I knew my voice sucked, but I honestly liked the Dixie Chicks at that moment in time. When I sat back down, Edward gave me a slow gentle kiss that I wished could have lasted for hours. It didn't. Instead, he hopped up from his seat and ran to the stage for his song.

The DJ introduced him as my groom and he got some applause, but not nearly as much as I had. I laughed happily as he began singing 'Hurts So Good' by John Mellencamp. It was even funnier when he started pointing his finger at me during certain lyrics. Alice and I actually headed to the dance floor and started to prance around to his singing. I wouldn't call it dancing since I was way too drunk to dance, but I danced like some chick in an 80's music video. It was perfect. I grabbed Alice's cell phone and checked out the time; it was just after one in the morning. I was ready to leave with my man.

As soon as the song ended, I grabbed Edward's hand and pulled him from the stage. "Let's go make it hurt so good,'" I yelled at him so the entire bar could hear. I grabbed my purse from the table as Edward threw me over his shoulder and we ran out of the bar, desperate to find a cab and get home.

**Edward POV**

I tossed Bella as gently as I could into the first cab we found and I slid in beside as I yelled our address to the cab driver a little too loudly. I felt bad for him because Bella and I couldn't keep our hands off of each other. Part of my brain kept thinking about the last time we had been in that bar, when we got back together after our all too painful breakup. I glanced over at the bench across the road when we officially made up and smiled, before I suctioned my lips onto Bella's neck and started running my hand over her fabric covered thighs.

"This outfit is horrible," I sighed as I tugged at the cotton leggings. "I understand they were trying to keep you warm, but these leggings are ugly as sin."

"And here I thought the worst part of this outfit was the t-shirt," Bella said with a sweet laugh. I ran my fingers along the word 'bride' across her breasts and smiled.

"I certainly hope you're the groom," laughed our cab driver.

"Yeah, no worries. She's all mine," I replied as I leaned in and gave her a soft kiss before wrapping my arm around her shoulder. We had left our coats at the bar and Bella was shivering slightly so I pulled her as close as possible to me and rubbed her arms to warm her up. It only took about twenty minutes to get back to the house and I threw a hundred dollar bill at our cab driver as he wished us a happy marriage. I carried Bella in the front door and practically ran up the stairs with her over my shoulder again. I felt a bit like a caveman, but I didn't care. I kicked open our bedroom door and flung her onto the bed, where she sat shivering for a moment as I started to peel my clothes off as quickly as possible. I stopped for a moment and noticed Bella hadn't moved. "Are you okay?"

"I'mm freeezzinng," she said while her teeth chattered. I pulled my boxer shorts back on and walked into our bathroom and let the tub fill up.

"Let's have a bath. That should warm you up a bit," I said with a remorseful smile. I felt really bad for not noticing how cold she had been. I should have made our driver turn up the heat, but I was thinking with the wrong head for a little while. I helped her undress and she climbed into the bathtub.

"Are you going to join me?" she asked after a moment and she had warmed up significantly. I couldn't hear her teeth knocking together, so that was a good sign. I finished undressing and slipped in the bath behind her, wrapping my arms around her chest and pulling her back towards me. "That's much better," she said as Bella leaned her head back against my shoulder.

"I'm so sorry I didn't notice how cold you were," I explained as I kissed her forehead. She just nodded her in head in agreement, clearly not too upset that I was too focused on getting laid. She rolled around in the tub until her chin was resting on my chest and her ass was in the air. What a view, I thought to myself as she slowly kissed my chest. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, I was cold, not in a coma." We spent a little more time in the tub, but I was eager to get her back onto our bed. I climbed out slowly and dried myself off as I wrapped a towel around my waist loosely. As Bella stood, I wrapped a towel around her and lifted her out of the tub. I kissed her gently and put her down on the floor to finish getting dry. "Are you going to pick up where we left off?" she asked with a wink as my jaw almost hit the floor. I pulled off her towel and threw her over my shoulder again as I ran into our bedroom and tossed her softly into the middle and climbed on top of her.

"This is more what I had in mind for tonight," I said as I started kissing and licking my way down her body, starting at her lips and ending at her toes. I kneeled before her and spread her slightly damp thighs apart, apparently I hadn't done such a good job drying her off, but I didn't care. I ran my hands along the inside of her legs until I found her wetness, where I decided I would focus my attention. I ran a finger up and down her slick folds for a moment, watching her head bend back in pleasure. When I saw her grip the sheets for support, I leaned my head forward and immediately started to spread her wider, licking her clit furiously.

"Fuck," she screamed out as my tongue worked in circles all around and on top of her sensitive bud. Bella's hands found my damp hair and she was tugging lightly as I continued my ministrations on her sensual body. Her moans had increased in volume and I could tell she was on the verge of exploding, so I quickly shoved two fingers inside of her as I lapped at her sweetness. As I bent my fingers in her, she shuddered beneath me as she groaned out my name in delight. I kissed my way back up her body, from her stomach to her neck and began sucking furiously.

"If you leave a hickey on my neck before our wedding, I will kill you," she laughed as I pulled away.

"Okay, no hickey on your neck," I said with a mischievous grin as I leaned back between her legs and started to suck feverishly on her thigh. "But there will be a hickey somewhere on you on our wedding day." She moaned gently until I pulled myself and inspected my work. That would do for now, I told myself as I climbed in between her legs, positioning my hardness at her wet heat. Bella's breathing was labored slightly, but from the smile on her face, I knew she was as eager as I was. I wanted her more than anything, but even though Bella had been loud during sex, she was never extremely vocal about what she wanted. I hoped to change that tonight since she had a gallon of alcohol still working its way through her system.

"What do you want Bella?" I asked her huskily as I kissed her lips roughly and pulled at her bottom lip with my teeth. Her hands had found my back and she was running her fingers along me, eliciting small shivers from my body.

"You," she sighed as she tried to rock her hips against my cock.

"You know what you want Bella. You told me on Christmas Eve. What do _you _want?" I asked again, this time I was practically taunting her as I moved my hips and gently rubbed my cock against her wetness.

"I want you to fuck me," she replied, although it wasn't very convincing. I loved this girl with every fiber of my being, but she needed to be broken out of her shell a little bit.

"What's that? I couldn't hear you."

"Christ Edward," she panted as I entwined our hands together and held them over her head, against the bed. I was bent forward, my body hovering over hers, not moving. "Fuck me," she screamed out angrily. That was a good start, I told myself as I roughly shoved my cock inside of her, eliciting a loud groan from both of us.

"Is that what you want Bella?" I asked as I breathlessly began to move in and out of her. I was doing a lot of coaxing to get her to be more verbal with me, and I really hoped it was working, and that she wouldn't be mad or embarrassed when we were done.

"Yes. I want your hard cock deep inside of me," she replied as she tried to lean forward and kiss me. I released our hands and grabbed her face with one hand, pulling her towards me and kissing her roughly. Her hands found the back of my head and she wrapped her fingers into my hair and pulled my lips down onto hers with more force. It was heavenly, and rougher than we had ever had sex before. It thrilled me to have Bella opening up to me more sexually, being more verbal and outgoing.

"I love hearing you talk dirty to me," I admitted to her as my lips left hers for a moment, only to return and drag my tongue along her bottom lip, which she nipped at with her teeth. I felt her body arch beneath me as I kept thrusting inside of her tightness.

"That's what you want?" she said sounding slightly confused and yet completely seductive. I nodded my head eagerly and leaned forward to bite her nipple. Bella moaned at the action and then surprised the hell out of me. "That's right baby, bite those fucking tits that you love so much." I raised myself from her for a moment, not stopping our movements, and I looked down upon her body in surprise, elation and complete desire. I bowed my head back to her breasts and began sucking, biting and kissing each one. I hadn't really realized that she had all that dirty talk in her, but she kept it going, telling me in extremely graphic detail all the things she wanted to do to me and vice versa. It felt like she was giving me the best wedding present ever.

I reached my hand in between our bodies and started to rub her clit with my thumb as she told me that she wanted me to cum with her. I was so close thanks to all of her words, and as I worked fiercely on her clit, she bit her bottom lip and started playing with her breasts. She was making it difficult for me to wait on her pleasure. I wanted her to get off first, not me. Thankfully, it was only a few moments later than she screamed out several obscenities and my name as she tightened around my cock and came hard, panting heavily. Seeing her face as she came drove my mind into overload, and I couldn't wait any longer and with one last thrust inside of her, I released and practically passed out on her.

"That was…" I started to say before I was interrupted by Bella.

"A surprise?" she said with a grin on her face. I rolled beside her body and swept her up into my arms, wrapping my entire body around her and began to kiss her neck. "I wish you had told me sooner that you wanted me to say everything."

"I don't want you to say it the entire time baby. But sometimes, I just want you to be a little more verbal. Not that I don't absolutely adore and worship all the other little squeals, moans and groans that you always give, but hot damn, listening to you tonight was one of the sexiest things you have ever done," I said as I wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead and went back to kissing her neck.

"What's the sexiest thing I have ever done?" she asked with an eye brow raised in curiosity.

"This is gonna sound completely corny, but the moment you said yes to me was the sexiest moment by far," I replied honestly. I looked down on Bella and she was smiling from ear to ear.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. What is the sexiest sex related thing I have ever done?" she asked again as she nuzzled her head up to my chest, clearly preparing herself for sleep to overtake her.

"That would definitely have to be the lingerie show you gave me the first official time we had sex as a couple. That black lace outfit with the ruffled panties should be considered a form of torture. You were so fucking sexy that night, and those ruffles…" I said contently.

"Ruffles huh? I had no idea you had such a fascination with ruffles."

"Just ruffles on you and your sweet ass," I said as I pinched her butt and Bella let out a small yelp. "Can you believe you'll be Mrs. Cullen in a few days?" I asked as I glanced down at the clock. Nine days to go.

"No, I can't believe it. Everything has happened so fast, it's been crazy. Thank god for Rosalie and her help, even if she is bitching half the time about eventually not being able to see her feet because of her pregnant belly," sighed Bella with a chuckle. "I hope I'm not as moody as her when I get pregnant."

"Bella, when do you want to start trying, you know… for kids?" I asked nervously. We had discussed that we wanted kids, but we never said when. I had actually been thinking more and more about our future kids lately, especially when Bella told me her mother was knitting a massive collection of blankets and sweaters for our potential little rug rats.

"If I said soon would you be upset?" she replied tentatively as she began to run her fingers through her hair like she did when she was nervous.

"No, but why so soon?"

"I figured if we had one soon, maybe my mom would be around to see him or her," she said as she started to cry a little bit. I kissed her forehead in a reassuring manner and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I think that's a great idea Mrs. Cullen."


	41. Three Little Birds

**A/N: Sleepless nights = more writing. I hope everyone enjoys the new chappie as we get ready for the wedding.**

**Delina Cullen – I am very sorry you missed your bus stop because you were reading my story, although I will admit, it made me laugh. Glad to see it didn't cause too many problems. Oh, and the guy that made you pay for the cab that he took to the date sounds like a complete f'in loser! I wish I had that one about forty chapters ago! LOL**

**Opal2084 – Thanks for the sweet comments again! I loved your Simpsons' reference. I love adding pop culture to my stories, but sometimes it seems so forced. I hope I do it justice. And just so you know: Here's to alcohol, the cause of—and solution to—all life's problems.**

**And to all my other absolutely fabulous readers, thanks for hanging in there, enjoying it and making me a favorite author/story etc… I know this one is nearing the end (boo hoo) but I actually have a few more ideas that I am tossing around. Thanks for the help with that flightlessbird11 !**

**Bella POV**

"No, I'm not too nervous," I replied to Renee as we talked for the last time before Edward and I left with Charlie and Sue for the wedding the next morning.

"How can you not be nervous?" she asked again with her shaky voice as she then proceeded to explain how nervous she was when she married both Charlie and Phil.

"It's easy. This is just a legal ceremony to us. I think the actual wedding is more important to our families than to Edward and I. We already have our life together and I know neither of us is going anywhere, unless it's together," I said confidently as I heard Renee yawn, for the third time, on the other end of the phone. We had already been on the phone for over an hour, which was extremely long for us these days. "You should go to sleep mom."

"I know sweetie. Phil's been trying to get me off the phone for thirty minutes now. I hope everyone has a safe flight and say 'hi' to Charlie and Sue for me. Have they arrived yet?" she inquired curiously.

"Edward's bringing them home from O'Hare right now. They should be here in about ten minutes or so," I answered. I wasn't keen to get off the phone with her, even though I knew that for the sake of her health I should.

"Have a wonderful time Mrs. Cullen," she said with a labored laugh. "Take care of Edward and cherish every moment you guys have together." It sounded so final as we said our goodbyes. I knew this wouldn't be the last time we spoke, even if she wasn't so sure of it herself.

"Thanks mom. We'll call when we get back and I promise that Edward and I will be back out to Forks to visit you as soon as we can." It was my one wish that Renee could be there to join us for the wedding. Even though there would be photos and video of everything to show her, it wouldn't be the same and we both knew it. "I love you mom."

"Love you too Bella. Be safe and happy." That was the end of our call, and as I wiped the tears from my eyes, I took a few moments to compose myself, only to find my father, his girlfriend and my soon to be husband walking in the front door.

Edward came up to the living room first and immediately saw my face. "What's wrong?" he asked anxiously.

"I just finished my call with Renee. It's okay. She's doing as well as can be expected I suppose," I said as he hugged me supportively. I felt like I had burdened him with all of my problems these last few months, but every night before we went to bed, he was always reminding me of how much he loved me and that there was nothing he wouldn't do for me. I felt the exact same way, which is how I knew we would last forever.

"Hey Daddy," I called over my shoulder as he and Sue walked into the room. I was actually really pleased he brought Sue with him for the wedding. I wanted to get to know her better, and I knew she would be a great source of support for him. Between everything going on with Renee and his only daughter getting married, Charlie was a bit stressed out.

"I missed you Bells," he said as he enveloped me into a huge hug. "You're looking good. Tired, but good."

"Yeah well, planning a wedding in a foreign country can tire a girl out," I replied as he finally let me down to the ground. I gave Sue a tentative yet warm hug and we all sat down on the couch to talk as we awaited the Chinese food I had ordered us for dinner. There was no way I was cooking or cleaning the night before we flew out to Jamaica. Everything left over from this dinner would be waiting at the curb in a big garbage bag before we left tomorrow morning. Even the plastic cutlery and paper plates.

We chatted cheerfully for the rest of the night, even through dinner. We never once discussed Renee and I think this was part of Charlie's plan to keep me happy for the next week or so by not discussing her. I was fine with it, but it didn't mean I didn't think about her constantly. It was just before ten when we all decided it was time to get some sleep. We had to be up early the next morning to catch our eleven o'clock flight to Jamaica. Emmett and Rosalie were already down there, finalizing details and Alice and Jasper were in Miami for a few days, so they would be meeting us at the boat dock to leave for the island with us. Even as I thought about it, it seemed so surreal to me. I can't believe I'm getting married to the man of my dreams on a private island in Jamaica.

When I climbed the stairs to our bedroom that night, I was exhausted. I pulled my luggage from the bed where I had left it earlier and tossed it onto the floor gently. I only had a few last minute items to put in it, but they would wait until the morning. "Where's your dress?" asked Edward with concern. He was becoming fairly forgetful in the days leading up to the wedding, and I found it endearing. He was nervous.

"You know Rosalie took it with her when she flew down three days ago," I answered as I slipped out my clothes, into one of his old t-shirts and climbed into bed.

"I'm sorry. I forgot," he replied bashfully. "I've made a list of all the things I need to remember to bring though, so I won't forget anything important." I nodded my head in agreement and watched as he slowly undressed and hopped into bed beside me, pulling me into his arms and lying his chin on my shoulder.

"I'm not worried. If it doesn't make it to the wedding, it wasn't meant to be there," I said positively. I was taking everything so casually, I surprised even myself. When Rosalie called and informed me that the flowers we ordered were ruined en route to the florist, I didn't care. I told her to select anything she deemed suitable; she then laughed at me and asked if I was feeling well. I was feeling fine, I was marrying the man of my dreams and nothing was in our way. I wasn't stressed at all.

The next morning was nerve-racking. I woke up a little bit late, but thankfully Edward was already showered and dressed by this point. He didn't sleep well. Charlie and Sue were completely ready to go by the time I hopped in the shower. I gathered the rest of my stuff quickly and Edward brought my luggage out to the waiting car. We met Esme and Carlisle at the gate, and she looked stunning as usual. She couldn't even wear jeans to travel. I wondered if she even owned a pair. We sat in first class, courtesy of the Christmas gifts from them, and relaxed as much as possible. Edward had two drinks before we had even been in the air for an hour. "Are you okay?" I asked him when he finished pounding back his second whiskey.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"You haven't been sleeping. You just drank two shots of whiskey in a twenty minute span and you have hardly said anything to me in the past hour. Are you sure you're okay?" I was actually feeling very self conscious at that moment. I wondered if perhaps he was having second thoughts.

"Sorry," he replied as he began to finger the lid of his tiny bottle of liquor.

"Are you having second thoughts?" I asked as my voice was awash with sadness. Edward looked back at me with complete surprise in his eyes.

"Why on earth would you ask me that?" he replied angrily. "I have never had anything close to a second thought about you."

"Then what the hell is going on?" I snapped back at him. I had angered him, but I didn't regret it. What I did regret was the fact that he wasn't saying anything to me right now.

"I'm just worried that this wedding won't be what you want. I just want everything to be perfect. This is the start of our life together Bella," he said with a tone of seriousness in his voice. I felt like hitting him over the head with a baseball bat. You'd think he would know by now that I didn't care about the wedding, only him.

"Sometimes you are the most handsome, sexy, smart, caring, considerate man and sometimes you are an idiot," I said sarcastically as I looked over at Edward who looked hurt. "You should know that this wedding is basically a formality for me. You've been stuck with me forever since the moment you said you loved me. I don't care if I have to walk up an aisle of burning coals and stand on broken glass while we recite our vows. The only thing I care about is being with you and the minister officially naming us husband and wife. The rest is so unimportant to me it's ridiculous."

"So I'm worrying for nothing?" asked Edward with a gentle smile. I nodded my head and then leaned it against his shoulder to try to catch a bit of rest before we arrived in Jamaica.

"You are worrying for nothing baby."

**Edward POV**

Before I even realized it, we were landing in Jamaica, looking for the chauffeur holding the name 'Cullen' on a small piece of cardboard. Of course Rosalie had ordered us a limo to take us from the airport to the boat launch. We had grabbed all of our bags and loaded them onto several carts, pushing them towards the front door when Carlisle pointed out the limo and chauffeur to all of us. For a split second I wished Rosalie had booked Bella and me our own ride so that we could have limo sex. I should have mentioned that before when we were doing all this damned planning. _Rosalie, please plan all sorts of events that don't involve Bella and I so that we can have lots of sweaty Jamaican sex, including the limo and the boat ride to the island._ In hindsight, I didn't think it was a bad request, although Bella and Rosalie would have probably both smacked me upside the head for even asking.

Bella and I held hands during the entire ride, barely paying attention to any of the conversation in the car. When we pulled up to the boat ramp, everyone was excited to see Alice and Jasper waiting for us, but hardly noticed them. It took us almost half an hour of waiting before the boat finally pulled away from the dock and Bella and I went to sit on the bow of the boat. I wrapped my arms around her as we sat there, staring at the blue water, both of us starting to feel tired.

"Does this even seem real to you?" she asked as she laid her head against my shoulder.

"Barely. The only thing I've even noticed since we left the airport has been you." I kissed her forehead sweetly and we both were silent, just enjoying the scene before us. The boat ride was actually fairly pleasant. It only took about twenty minutes to get to the island, which looked absolutely perfect. When we pulled up to the dock, Emmett was already waiting for us in a pair of board shorts and flip slops. He was clearly in beach mode.

"Welcome to Paradise Bitches," he yelled out as Esme looked at him in disappointment. "Hi Mom," he yelled again as he waved his arm about like an over excited five year old who just got a new Tonka truck. As I stepped from the boat and helped Bella, Sue and Esme out, I glanced over at the beach in awe. There was at least a mile of perfect sandy white beach that I could see; huge palm trees surrounded the four buildings including the one main house. Off from the beach a bit was a huge hammock, an outdoor shower and big patio area for dinners that also included a fire pit.

"Who the hell is your friend Carlisle? Richard Branson?" asked Bella with a nervous laugh. I think she was just praying that it really wasn't Richard Branson. That would have been pretty funny though. As we walked closer to the buildings, we could see bright windows and doors in each small home.

"No Bella, it's not Richard Branson. I would have had to pay him to use the property I'm sure." We all laughed as I kept looking around at everything. Emmett was unloading our luggage with no assistance and wasn't complaining one bit. Then again he got to enjoy the island with his wife for three extra days, so he shouldn't be bitching.

"Hello everyone," called Rosalie as she met us on the steps leading up the main house. She looked very pretty in a strapless white sundress, and I looked over at Bella who suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "Let's go to the main house and I will show everyone the sleeping arrangements." I prayed that Rosalie would at least agree that Bella and I got to sleep together for the next week. I would be pissed if she didn't.

The main house was almost as nice as everything else. It hosted three bedrooms, a monstrous fully stocked kitchen, living room, game room, media room as well as three bathrooms and a laundry room. The full tour took almost ten minutes. "Alice and Jasper will be in the small house to the left of the boat dock," said Rosalie as she tossed a set of keys towards Jasper, who wrapped his arm around Alice with a mischievous grin. "Esme and Carlisle as well as Sue and Charlie will be staying in the main house, in the two master bedrooms." This clearly meant that I was staying with Bella, thank god. If she had tried to separate us I think I might have taken a huge temper tantrum, which no one here would appreciate.

"Emmett and I are in the house behind the main one, and Bella and Edward are in the more secluded one down the beach a bit, since they are the almost newlyweds," said Rosalie with a wink in my direction. "Let's get the luggage to the rooms; I'm sure everyone is tired and ready to get changed out of their travelling clothes."

I followed Emmett as he and I lugged our bags to the one bedroom house which Bella and I would be staying in. He offered me a big smile as we walked up to the main door and Bella opened it nervously. It felt as big as the main house, but it was only one bedroom. There was bamboo flooring throughout, with huge French doors that led out to a patio that faced away from everything else, which provided me with endless ideas for Bella and I. I ignored the kitchen completely knowing full well we would be enjoying almost every single meal with our family down at the main house.

"Holy shit, the bathroom is the size of our bedroom back home," shouted Bella as Emmett left us alone and headed back to the main house. I went in to join her, and she was right. It was huge. A gigantic two person shower with three different showerheads, a huge Jacuzzi tub and there was even a balcony here, with an outdoor shower on it. Once again, it was very private and faced away from the beach and the main house. "The things we could do in this bathroom," she said with a sly grin. I was glad to see we were having the exact same thoughts.

We then wandered into the bedroom, and were even more stunned. There was a huge bed against the far wall, facing out onto the beach through a set of French doors which were wide open already, letting a warm breeze fill the room. On the other side of the French doors was a small patio with a few lounge chairs on it. I sat down in one of the patio chairs as Bella disappeared back into the living room. I suddenly heard a commotion behind me in the bedroom and I watched as Bella tried to lift her luggage onto the oversized four poster bed.

"Do you need some help?" I asked with a laugh as I walked back into the bedroom.

"No, no. I'm clearly doing fine by myself," she responded sarcastically as her bag fell to the floor again.

"Perhaps you should bring less luggage," I said with a smile as I lifted the bag effortlessly onto our bed and she quickly unzipped it, revealing its contents.

"Fine then, next time I will pack less sexy lingerie. In fact, since you are so opposed to my clothing, I won't bring any lingerie next time." She was joking, but I still put my hand over my heart and mocked that she had hurt me. She rifled through her bag some more until she pulled out something white and then left for the bathroom.

"All that so you could get a t-shirt?" I asked in confusion. I left the room and grabbed my own bag from the living room, including my garment bag with my tuxedo that I immediately put in the closet. When I came back out seconds later, Bella was wandering out of the bathroom in the tiniest white bikini I had ever seen in my entire life. "What the hell is that?" I yelled out in shock.

"It's my bathing suit. It's way too warm here to still be wearing jeans, don't you think?" she asked seductively as she ran a finger up from my waist to my chin, then pulled me in for a kiss. I just nodded and unzipped my luggage, tossing out virtually all my clothes as I looked for my swim trunks. The moment I found them, Bella turned around and walked from the room. I looked up to see her and was shocked by the three rows of white ruffles gracing the ass of her bikini.

"Ruffles??" I screamed out as I heard Bella laughing from the living room. It was sheer torture. I couldn't resist those ruffles. I certainly hoped she had some other sort of swimwear to wear during the week because that suit could not be worn around anyone other than me, and even then I didn't plan to keep them on for long.


	42. Each Coming Night

**A/N: Okay, don't be disappointed, it's not the wedding. That is definitely the next chapter. This is some of their time on the island before the wedding.**

**Thanks to everyone who loved the 'ruffles' part, which was most of you. Edward is a big fan of ruffles, as evidence in a previous chapter when Bella showed him some lingerie. I just had to bring it back.**

**Lovebuggkiss – some of your assumptions that you made in your review are correct. Luckily, you won't have to wait too long to get the answers. Is that cryptic enough?**

**Bella POV**

"What's the point of a rehearsal dinner when there's only ten of us attending the wedding and two of them are the bride and groom?" asked Edward during our dinner in the main house on Wednesday night. Rosalie looked at him and was practically staring daggers at him for asking such a stupid question.

"If you weren't the groom, I'd smack you upside the head right now Edward," she replied with a hesitant smile. "Let's just say it's a quick run through followed by a barbecue and a bonfire on the beach. Can you handle that?" I watched as Edward nodded his head slowly. His expression showed that he had instantly regretted his question. I knew better than to question Rosalie this week. Between the pregnancy and the stress of the wedding, she was a walking time bomb.

"I agree with Edward, we all know what is going to happen, why bother with the rehearsal?" asked Jasper, finally joining into the conversation. He had been pretty quiet during the entire trip, which wasn't that abnormal for him, but I had been hoping he would have opened up a bit with the family.

"Jazz, you shouldn't argue with Rosalie," said Alice as she patted his arm supportively.

"I'm not arguing with her, I just don't see the point. So we're going to pretend they're getting married and then Carlisle and Charlie are going to barbecue some food and we're going to eat. Sounds like the wedding if you ask me," he replied again as he and Edward bumped fists over the table.

"Thank you Jasper," said Edward with a grin. He was just happy someone agreed with him.

"I think it's a nice touch that we are doing the rehearsal," said Sue with a big smile. "It just makes everything seem more formal, like a standard wedding, without the church and all that stuff." Sue and I had actually grown a lot closer in the few days that we had been together on the island. She was always offering to help in any way possible and she and Esme got along like peas and carrots. I was glad that Charlie had her and even told him so on several occasions. When she saw I was getting stressed, she offered her support, and I appreciated her even more for being so sweet to me, but not trying to be my mother. I already had a mother, and Sue had kids of her own, but we grew to like each other more like close friends.

"Yeah, plus what if Charlie can't find his way between the six chairs on the beach," laughed Emmett as Charlie punched him on the shoulder gently and we all laughed happily. Even Rosalie laughed, though she was still clearly upset that some people didn't think the rehearsal was necessary.

We all met on the beach just before five on Thursday night to go through with the rehearsal. The minister wasn't with us, so Emmett was acting in his place, which sorta reminded me of when Joey married Monica and Chandler on Friends, it was just absurd. I was certain we would regret asking him to do the part of the minister; and just prayed he didn't say anything too embarrassing. After Charlie and I did our faux walk down the beach, he handed me over to Edward who was smiling brightly.

"So here's where you get asked about the sickness and health shit," said Emmett as I looked over at Esme who glared at him in disappointment for cursing again.

"You're really going to need to reign in your potty mouth when the baby comes," she said with a sigh.

"Not until the little diaper machine starts talking. They won't know what the heck I am saying until then," laughed Emmett as he continued with our rehearsal. "Then you're supposed to exchange the rings, be pronounced man and wife and then you follow it up with a big wet smooch," he said with a laugh.

Edward leaned over and gave me a sweet kiss on the lips as Jasper piped in from the audience.

"No one wants to see that stuff," he joked with a grimace as Alice was glued to his side, beaming at all of us. Since we were finished the formal part of the rehearsal, Rosalie ushered us all back to the patio area on the beach where Carlisle and Charlie had setup the barbecue and were starting to cook the steaks. Esme and Sue headed back up to the main house to get all the food that had been prepared earlier in the day, while Alice went with Rosalie to go get some of the drinks. Jasper and Emmett started to prepare the bonfire by tossing together a bunch of big branches and logs they had found earlier in the day, after digging a bigger hole in the fire pit. It was really nice to see both of our families getting along so well, and I took a moment to think about Renee and what she was doing at that moment. She was probably knitting some booties or something for the non-existent baby. Her knitting abilities had vastly improved with each item she made for the currently imaginary grandchild. Edward grabbed my hand in his and he pulled me down the beach, away from our families.

"Can you believe in forty eight hours we'll be married?" he asked as he put his arm over my shoulder and pulled me closer to him gently.

"Yeah, I can believe it. So, have you picked a first dance song yet?" I inquired curiously. We had been throwing back ideas for weeks now in regards to what song we wanted to dance to, but we couldn't agree on anything. I finally decided to let Edward pick it on his own, and he seemed to have more trouble now than he had before when it was both of us deciding. The downfall for our selections was that we both had liked U2's 'All I want is you' but Emmett and Rosalie used it and we wanted something different.

"No, not yet. If it helps I've got it down to five selections, none of which I am going to share with you because you want it to be a surprise," he said with a smile. As we sat down on the beach, holding hands and looking out at the ocean, I felt surprisingly peaceful. My life was technically going to change in a few days, but only for the better. "Are you going to change your last name?"

"I hadn't even thought about it. I don't like the hyphenating thing though, so that's definitely out. Maybe I'll stick with Swan professionally and go with Cullen personally. That wouldn't offend you would it? Plus it will keep all the stalkers and groupies away." I asked curiously. He had actually caught me off guard with this question. We hadn't ever talked about it, though sometimes we both referred to me as Mrs. Cullen, and I did kind of like the sound of it. I definitely didn't want to be one of those confusing parents who have a different last name than their child though, and I wanted all our future babies to be little Cullens.

"No, I wouldn't be offended. I'm comfortable with whatever you decide," he said as he kissed my palm sweetly and we watched the sun lower slowly into the water. Everything was so relaxing and peaceful until we heard Emmett yelling for us from down the beach. "Do we have to go back?"

"Yeah, but this will be all over in a few hours and we can go back to our little love shack and enjoy some private time," I said seductively with a wink. Over the past few days, Edward and I had managed to enjoy quite a bit of private time together. We had had sex on almost every single surface and in every room in the small house, including the bathroom counter. We had done it late one night on one of the patio loungers on our deck and twice outside under the outdoor shower on the back deck. We had decided to postpone our honeymoon until we knew Renee was feeling better, so we were taking advantage of our location to have a mini honeymoon before the actual wedding. Even when we went sailing with our family on Tuesday, Edward and I managed to sneak down to the cabin and have a quickie while everyone else was admiring the dolphins in the water from the bow of the boat. There was still one thing we had yet to do that I was eager to try with Edward and it had to be tonight, since Rosalie and Alice were keeping us apart tomorrow night being that it was the night before the wedding.

Edward and I stood from the beach and I dusted the sand off his white dress pants, while he cleaned any sand from the back of my white dress and my legs. He looked remarkably handsome in his white linen shirt and dress pants. Alice had forced both of us to wear all white for the rehearsal dinner and when I had seen Edward completely dressed, I was tempted to ravish him against the coffee table again. We had been interrupted by Charlie though, so it never happened. We walked back to join our family as they were serving dinner. Edward and I took our seats at the head of the table where Rosalie had placed us. We had to laugh because she had place cards on the table for ten people. Of course, I wasn't going to say anything about it because I liked my life.

"Okay, I think I'm supposed to make a toast or something," said Emmett as he stood and held up his bottle of Red Stripe before we started to eat. "I have nothing prepared, but Rosalie told me in the kitchen earlier to say something, and I can't mess with my pregnant wife because I value the family jewels too much." Everyone laughed happily because they knew it was so true. No one could mess with Rosalie these days. "So since I'm really shi… I mean since I'm bad with words, unlike my brother, I'm just gonna say congrats, good luck and if you guys are even remotely as happy as Rose and I, you'll be together forever."

I stood up and gave Emmett a sweet hug as Edward did the traditional pat on the back him and Emmett were well known for. Everyone was being so formal; it was like we had just gotten married or something so I decided to just go with the flow. After dinner, we all relaxed and gathered around the bonfire for a bit as Jasper pulled out his guitar and played a few Bob Marley tunes. I had to beg him to play 'Redemption Song' because he claimed he hated it.

"I'm the bride Jasper, consider it your wedding gift to me," I pleaded with him sweetly.

"So does this mean I get to return the china Alice made me buy you?" he asked with a nervous laugh.

"No, that's my gift," laughed Edward. "Everyone knows I'm a sucker for fine Wedgwood China."

It was only a little while later when I was curious about our first dance song again. "You didn't pick a reggae song for our first dance did you?" I asked Edward nervously. I liked Bob Marley just fine, but I didn't want to have one of his songs forever reminding me of my wedding day.

"No, I didn't. If it helps, I'll tell you the bands I am deciding from," he said happily as we sat together on a lounger near the fire. "Although you'll probably know right away when I mention certain bands."

"Nah, I want the surprise." As curious as I was about the song choice, I could wait. What I couldn't seem to wait for though was more time alone with Edward. As we lay in the chair together, I was constantly rubbing his thigh with my hand and he was running his hand gently along the small of my back. "How much longer do you think we need to be out here?" I whispered to him quietly.

He shrugged his shoulders and looked around the beach at our family. Charlie and Sue had already gone to bed and Esme and Carlisle were currently climbing the stairs to the main house. Alice and Jasper were enthralled by each other as he played guitar and we found Rose and Emmett sitting in a nearby lounger, with him talking to her belly about sports teams.

"And you'll get a little Seahawks beanie when you are born. I already ordered it from and they didn't have one in tiny baby size, but we'll make it work," he whispered quietly as Edward and I chuckled at his sweetness.

"I think we can probably sneak away," he said with a laugh as he helped me up from the chair and wished everyone a good night. We walked down the beach, towards the private steps that led up to our small house, but instead of going up, I led Edward towards the ocean. I stuck my foot in the water and discovered it was still very warm. "What are you doing?" he asked as I stared down the beach and saw that we were completely hidden from the view of our remaining friends thanks to the bonfire.

"I'm going swimming," I said as I took off all my clothes and walked casually into the water. "Aren't you going to join me?"

**Edward POV**

So I wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of going swimming when it was so dark out, but the moment Bella walked into the water naked, I was game. I pulled off all my clothes as quickly as I could and practically ran in to join her. I tried to be as quiet as possible, so as to not draw attention to us from our friends who were only a few hundred feet down the beach, but I couldn't help myself.

"I've never been skinny dipping before," I admitted nervously to Bella as I scooped her up into my arms and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Me neither. Yet another first we are doing on this trip," she said with a laugh. "First time sex on a boat, first time sex with parents only ten feet away, first time sex on a patio chair at three in the morning, first time sex under and outdoor shower."

"Did you notice they all have to do with sex?" I laughed as she kissed my neck sweetly and wrapped her legs around me. "I don't do sex in the ocean though. If you want this again, we are heading up to our place," I said as I teased her by running my hard cock against her warm pussy. "Oh and you forget first time doing it on a coffee table."

"That wasn't our first time on a coffee table. The second night we moved into the house we did it on the living room coffee table. Remember, I put a few scratches into it and when Esme and Carlisle came over like a month later they asked if we got a cat?" We both laughed out loud at this memory and it made me smile from ear to ear as we gently cuddled each other in the warm water.

"Oh yeah, I remember that time now. Didn't we break a vase too?" I watched as Bella nodded gently and I leaned down to kiss her again. We floated in the water for what seemed like ages, as the bright moon lit up the beach and the water. We saw our friends douse the fire and head back to their houses for bed and when the coast was clear, I grabbed Bella's hand and led her upstairs to our house, grabbing our clothes from the beach but not putting them on. When we finally got back into the house, we both ran to the bathroom to have a quick shower and get all the sand of off us.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" I asked her curiously as we toweled each other off before hopping into bed naked.

"I think Rosalie has you boys heading to town to pick up some final supplies, and I get the pleasure of doing nothing except being forced to get a manicure and pedicure from Rosalie as she bitches about her pregnancy," she said with a slight laugh. "Maybe you can keep me up all night and then I can sleep in tomorrow and not have to worry about it," she said as her hand ran up my thigh to find my hard cock waiting for her.

"Do you ever think there will come a point when we don't want each other sexually?" I asked curiously as her hand wrapped around me and began stroking gently, causing me to moan loudly.

"I hope not. Although I couldn't imagine never wanting this," she said with a grin as she took all of me into her mouth quickly and began sucking furiously.

"Ah Fuck," I screamed out as she plunged her mouth eagerly up and down on me, using her tongue to wrap around my hardness. "I doubt I could stop loving this," I teased as I ran my finger along her wet slit. I couldn't focus on Bella while she was sucking me, I desperately wanted to, but she was doing such a good job, all cohesive thoughts had left my brain. When she knew I was close, she pushed the blankets further off the bed and straddled me, immediately sliding my cock inside of her.

I griped her ass tightly, guiding her down onto me quickly as she leaned forward and bit my nipples gently. "Oh my god," I groaned in pleasure as I started to chant her name while I rose my hips up to force myself deeper inside of her. I watched as Bella's posture straightened above me and she threw her head back, emitting a low guttural moan as my index finger slipped between us and began rubbing her clit gently. She was so gorgeous that sometimes I still couldn't believe she was mine, and that we would be married in a few hours. I sat up slowly, keeping her in position at first but finally settling on rolling her onto her back. I gripped her ankles with my hands and kept thrusting myself inside of her as I looked down upon her lustfully.

"You are so unbelievably beautiful," I said to her as I put my finger back over her nub and kept rubbing gently. As we continued our movements for the next few minutes, I continued to shower Bella with every single compliment that I could possibly find in my vocabulary. I used words like _angel, stunning, striking, goddess, divine, perfect and heavenly_, and I still felt like I hadn't said enough. When I knew my release was imminent, I pressed harder on her clit and bent forward to bite her nipples, something I knew would push her over the edge, and it did, just like I had wanted. Bella arched her back and screamed out in pleasure as her orgasm washed over her, with mine following close behind her.

As I pulled out of her and rolled over, I couldn't help but think that might be the last time I had sex as a single guy, and I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I couldn't wait to start having married sex with Bella. I had a feeling it would be even better than any make up sex we had, and that had been mind blowing. I curled up beside her warm body and pulled the blanket back over us and was surprised to hear Bella say the exact same thing I was thinking.

"That might be our last time having sex before we're married," she said with a giggle.

"Yeah, it might be. You never know, I might just have to come back over here tomorrow night and steal your virtue before you get married," I replied as I pulled her closer to me and kissed her neck gently.

"I doubt Alice or Rosalie would allow that. I believe they are both staying with me in the house tomorrow night to avoid such a scenario," she replied tensely. "I don't know why they are bothering, but I suppose it's kind of sweet. I might just have to send up some smoke signals from the back patio so you can come get and me if it gets too stressful here."

"I'll keep an eye out. I don't even know what house they are stashing me in, but I will try to get here. I don't think I can go the whole night without at least kissing you," I said genuinely as she suddenly rolled over to face me, a look of concern across her face.

"I completely forgot to tell you something, even though we had already discussed and agreed upon it," she started to say nervously as I kissed her cheek and then her lips.

"What?" I replied curiously as I watched her face remain tense.

"My birth control pills finished last week and I didn't refill them. That was what we decided upon right? When I was done this month, I'd stay off of them and we'd start to try right?" Bella looked so concerned when she asked me, but she was right, we had agreed to this and I was eager to start a family with her, not just for the sake of Renee but for us as well.

"Don't freak out Bella. Yes, we agreed that was what we were going to do. Don't worry." I said with a sigh as I kissed her again and she rolled back so that her back was cuddled against my chest. She always preferred to sleep this way, and I didn't mind. In fact, I couldn't wait to do it for the rest of my life.

**A/N: Anyways, I rarely do author notes at the bottom, but I am having a mental block trying to come up with names for any future little Cullens, either Rosalie and Emmett's or Bella and Edwards. So please PLEASE send me some suggestions for both boy or girl names for both couples. Otherwise you'll end up with something as lame as Renesemee, and no one wants that! **


	43. The Luckiest

**A/N: Okay, so I think this is the final chapter, with the exception of the most likely very LENGTHY epilogue that will follow. Thanks to all my awesome readers and reviewers. I've had several people ask if I will be doing a sequel and I honestly don't think it will be necessary following the epilogue, but thanks for the continued interest. I love all the new reviewers who have recently added their comments after 42 chapters. LOL. I've put a small playlist for this chapter on my profile page, I highly recommend each and every song included. Thanks to everyone for the baby names, keep them coming. There have been several to catch my eye.**

**Xvampiree – it's about time you got a fanfic account. Thanks for the suggestions and the lovely review. I actually preferred your different spelling for the baby girl name for Rose & Em. **

**The baby will not be named Renee, although I do love the name. It's actually my daughter's middle name, but she was born before I even discovered Twilight.**

***I don't own twilight, but I'm sure I have several frustrated fans LOL!***

**Bella POV**

Rosalie was pacing nervously around the living room of the small house where I had spent the past 24 hours straight, with the exception of dinner, for which she actually let me free of her clutches and I could eat with the family. I was relieved because Edward was there and we got to hold hands and kiss sweetly throughout the meal and even though Rosalie was shooting us evil glances all through dinner, I didn't care.

It was ten in the morning on my wedding day, and we were waiting for the hair stylists to arrive by boat. They were due almost an hour ago but thanks to some mix up on the dock, they ended up leaving almost forty minutes late. "They'll be here soon," I reassured Rosalie as I took another sip of my coffee. I wasn't nervous, but Rosalie was a wreck. I figured if they didn't show up, I'd toss my hair in a ponytail and Edward would be more than happy with that. After all, I was getting married in a fairly simple white dress and no shoes. A ponytail would work. So would the simple makeup I usually put on when I go out, but Rosalie wouldn't allow that.

"They're on the dock now," called Alice from the balcony where she had been perched for the last hour checking to see if they had arrived. I watched with a smile as Rosalie finally breathed a sigh of relief and then I headed into my bedroom to grab my iPod so I could listen to my wedding day mix that I had made before we left for Jamaica. Everything was romantic, slow and reminded me completely of Edward. Sure, not all the lyrics showed love in the positive light, but I didn't care. The songs were perfect and I needed something to take my mind off the next few hours of poking, prodding and pulling.

The first song to fill my ears was 'Colors' by Amos Lee. It was the very first song we danced to at Alice's New Years Eve party. I wondered if Edward would choose this as our first dance song. I definitely wouldn't complain if he did. When the hairstylist and makeup artist walked in, I was already seated in the chair Rosalie had setup for me in the kitchen. I closed my eyes and went to my happy place as the pulling and poking began.

It was almost four hours later, following a quick break for lunch that Rosalie was happy enough with my appearance that she considered me finished. I was so relieved. "You look beautiful Bella," said Sue as she walked into the house with a small box in her hands. "Edward begged me to bring this to you before it got too late."

She passed the little box towards me and I fingered it reverently, unsure of whether to open it or not. "I don't think the box is the present Bella. Open it already?" said Alice as she watched me impatiently. I slipped the ribbon from the box and opened it slowly to reveal a beautiful pearl necklace. All the women were surrounding me and looking down upon the gift. There was a little note enclosed and I opened it and read it to myself quietly. _I know you need something old for the tradition, so here's my great great grandmother's pearl necklace, courtesy of Esme and Carlisle. _

"It's my something old," I said with a smile as Alice quickly ran from the room and Rosalie helped put it on around my neck.

"This is your something new," she said as she tossed me a white garter for under my dress. "And your flowers are something blue, so now all you need is something borrowed." Esme walked in at that moment and handed me a lace handkerchief.

"My grandmother gave this to me the day I married Carlisle. I consider it my good luck charm. I even lent it to Rosie when she married Emmett, so now it's yours for a few hours Bella," she said with smile. "Welcome to the family." I stood up and offered Esme a big hug, only to have Rosalie pull us apart claiming my hair and makeup could get ruined.

There was now less than two hours until the ceremony and I sat on the balcony in front of my bedroom, watching the guys' setup the chairs and the little arbor that Rosalie had rented for us to be married under. I could see Edward assisting with some of the chores, clearly oblivious to my presence, but Emmett and Jasper seemed to be pushing him to leave, so he did. I assumed he was heading up to the room to get changed. I wasn't allowed in the main house because that was where Edward was getting changed today so I sat wistfully on the edge of the balcony watching Esme guide the florists on where to put all the flowers. It was less than an hour later when Rosalie and Alice walked out onto the balcony, fully dressed in their gowns.

"You guys look beautiful," I said sincerely as they each offered me a big hug.

"Are you nervous?" asked Alice curiously as she sat down on the long lounger which Edward and I had sex on a few days ago. I smiled at the memory and decided not to mention to her, otherwise I would completely gross her out and she would probably figure out there was nowhere in or around the building she could get comfortable because Edward and I had had sex almost everywhere.

"No. I just miss him. It's been a while since I talked to him. I don't think we've gone this long without talking since we moved in together." I was feeling a bit sad, and Rosalie quickly admonished me for it.

"Don't cry, you'll screw up your makeup. If you are desperate to talk to him, I'm sure I could arrange a phone call or something," she offered sweetly as she walked into the bedroom and picked up the phone. "So, do you want to talk to him?"

I jumped off the ledge eagerly and she dialed the main house, getting Charlie on the other end. "Can I talk to Edward?" she asked quickly as I waited impatiently to talk to him. Rose handed the phone to me and she and Alice left the room, shutting the door behind them.

"I miss you," I said quietly into the phone.

"Oh Bella, I miss you too baby. It's almost over though," he said sounding positive. "I don't think I managed a single minute of sleep last night since you weren't with me."

"You should have come over. I had almost twenty minutes of alone time during the night," I laughed happily. It was so nice to hear his voice.

"So, how long do we have to talk?" he asked curiously.

"Not too long. I still have to get into my lingerie and my dress." I said with a small sigh. I knew the lingerie was slightly uncomfortable, but it made the dress look fabulous and I knew Edward would enjoy it later in the evening thanks to the ruffles on the panties.

"You do realize your lingerie has been the bane of my existence for far too long now," Edward said with a gentle laugh.

"Well don't worry. I can just stop wearing it altogether," I teased. I heard Edward gasp on the other end of the line and then someone walked into the room with him.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea Bella, but I have to go. Carlisle just walked in and I still need to get my tuxedo on." We reluctantly got off the phone with one another and I opened the bedroom door, letting Alice and Rosalie know they were allowed back in.

"Okay, so you got the pining for Edward out of your system, let's get you dressed." Rosalie quickly went to work, pulling out my lingerie and leaving so that I could put it on. Alice pulled out the dress and helped slip it over my head, while zipping it up in the back. I looked in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised at how good I looked. The dress was made with intricate lace that hung to my knee; it was strapless and had some beading around the neckline which sparkled in the sunlight. It was beautiful, yet casual enough for our wedding. My hair was in long curls down my back and thankfully my makeup was rather simple, although there was a little more pink than I was used to.

"Minister's here," said Emmett as he walked into the house where we were waiting patiently. "You look smoking Bella," he laughed before he walked back towards the main house. I grabbed my white flip flops that I had picked up at Wal-Mart back in Chicago and slipped them on my feet.

"So, what's next?" I asked impatient to get to Edward. The phone call had done absolutely nothing to calm my emotions, in fact, it probably made things worse because now I missed him even more. Rosalie was talking on the phone, probably to someone at the main house, so I just went back to the front balcony to wait. I could see the minister talking to my father and Carlisle down on the beach as Sue and Jasper walked around nervously, Jasper clutching his guitar in his hand. The moment Rosalie was off the phone, she came looking for me.

"Will you get back in the house before Edward sees you," she said in frustration as she grabbed my hand and led me back into the house.

"Oh calm down Rose. What are we doing now? It's getting close to four isn't it?" I asked anxiously as she nodded her head in response.

"We are waiting on a call from Emmett. He's gonna call just before he and Edward head down to the beach and then we head over to the main house where your dad will be waiting to walk you down the aisle," she said with a big smile. I headed towards her and wrapped her in my arms, giving her a huge hug.

"Thanks for everything Rosalie. You have honestly been the best friend a girl could ask for, both of you have been," I said as I pulled Alice into our embrace. "Maybe when Edward and I have babies, I can call them Rosalie and Alice." I was laughing at this comment, but both girls looked at me in surprise.

"Are you and Edward trying already?" asked Alice tentatively.

"Maybe," I answered cryptically as Rosalie's face grew into a smile.

"I knew it. Emmett owes me fifty bucks and a foot massage. I told him you and Edward were going to try right away. It's because of Renee right?" asked Rosalie, immediately regretting bringing her up. "I'm sorry I mentioned it."

"Rosalie, it's okay. Yes, it's because of Renee. Edward and I decided we didn't want to wait and we hope she will be with us when we either get pregnant or have the baby. We're not sure though. She wasn't doing so well last time I talked to her, but we can hope. I'm off the pill, and we're clearly constantly having sex, so hopefully something will happen sooner rather than later," I explained to them. They both offered up a big hug and Rosalie wiped a small tear from the corner of my eye. "Don't tell the parents, they don't know yet."

"Your secret is safe with me, but just so you know, I'm sure they all know you are having sex. You guys weren't exactly quiet on the boat a few days ago," laughed Alice as she headed out onto the balcony after hearing the sounds of Jasper's guitar. Just then, the phone rang and my heart leapt out of my body as Rosalie answered it and simply nodded her head.

"Let's go. It's time to get married."

**Edward POV**

When Carlisle walked into the room and interrupted my call with Bella, I honestly thought about killing him. I hadn't spoken to her in almost twenty four hours and the lack of contact was killing me, especially since we were only two hundred feet apart. "You need to start getting dressed, Edward," said Carlisle as he closed the door behind him. He was already in his tuxedo and looked pretty decent, for my father. He was followed by Emmett almost ten minutes later who informed me that the minister had arrived and that Sue had delivered the package to Bella as I had asked her earlier.

"Did you see her?" I asked Emmett curiously. He simply nodded his head, not giving me any details. "Just say something," I snapped at him.

"She looks hot dude. You're a lucky guy," sighed Emmett as he put on his own cufflinks and fixed his tie, as Carlisle came closer to offer up some fatherly advice.

"You guys found two of the best women out there, aside from your mother and sister, so don't screw it up," he said with a laugh.

"Uh, thanks, I think," I replied as Emmett helped me with my tie. "Is that your advice?"

"Yeah, that and to make sure you cherish every single moment with her. Don't pick fights you can't win and when you think you've screwed up, even if you haven't, bring her flowers. It'll just make your life a little easier," finished Carlisle as he gave me a small hug. I couldn't even recall the last time I hugged my father.

I was pacing around the house nervously when Emmett called Rosalie to let her know it was time to get moving. "We're heading down to the beach and the girls are coming in here, so that Bella can meet up with Charlie to walk down the aisle." I nodded my head at Emmett and watched as Carlisle led us down the steps to the beach where Esme, Alice, Sue and Jasper were waiting for us. I passed Charlie as he climbed the stairs to the main house and he gave me a gentle pat on the back. It was a small gesture, but I knew he was glad I was marrying Bella.

I gave my mom a big hug and waited impatiently as I stood by the arbor for Bella. Emmett came and stood beside me a few minutes later, and tried to calm my nerves by telling me a dirty joke, which didn't work. I wasn't nervous, I was eager to get the ceremony over with and move onto the next phase of or life together. The minister and I chatted amiably for a few more minutes until Jasper started to play 'Come Away with Me' by Norah Jones on his guitar. I didn't even know he knew this song, but it was perfect for the ceremony. Then again, Jasper was surprising me more often than not these days. I knew a proposal to Alice was in the very near future. Emmett nudged my shoulder and I turned around to see Bella at the end of the beach, with Charlie at her side. I almost started to cry. She looked absolutely stunning with her long curly hair running down her back, in her white lace gown. She was clutching small bouquet of blue flowers, and even had a few of them in her hair as well. She was perfect.

"Dude, you're not crying are you?" whispered Emmett as I elbowed him in the ribs a little too hard.

"Shut up," I replied angrily as I kept my eyes on Bella. It seemed to take forever for her to reach the end of the aisle and I smiled enthusiastically as Charlie placed our hands into one another's. The entire ceremony went by in a blur. I heard the minister's words, but I didn't focus on them. All I saw was Bella. I kept my eyes on her the entire time and Emmett had to nudge me a few times so that I could respond to the minister. We recited our vows, which were very nontraditional, and then exchanged the rings. I was in a complete daze throughout the entire ceremony. If it wasn't for Emmett, I wouldn't have known when to do or say anything. How the hell was he so calm and collected before his wedding, and here I was practically mute.

I remember listening to Bella recite her vows clearly though. _"Because of you, I laugh, I smile, I dare to dream again. I look forward with great joy to spending the rest of my life with you, caring for you, nurturing you, being there for you in all life has for us, and I vow to be true and faithful for as long as we both shall live."_ Everything she did was clear to me. It was everything else I couldn't focus on. I repeated the same words to her, but needed a little reminder from the minister of the text even though I had spent days trying to memorize them.

When he finally pronounced us as man and wife, I grabbed Bella and eagerly kissed her, passionately. "I guess you can kiss the bride," said the minister when he noticed I hadn't paid attention to his words. He hadn't even said I could kiss her yet and I had already wrapped my arms around her and was practically forcing my tongue down her throat. Everyone clapped and cheered as we walked back down the aisle, with Emmett and Rose directly behind us. We exchanged hugs with the entire family as we took two minutes to ourselves and walked down the beach for a moment.

Rosalie was talking to the caterers about dinner, while everyone else made their way over to the patio area where she had set up everything for our little reception.

"Are you on drugs?" asked Bella as she clutched my hand tightly in hers.

"No. I just couldn't focus on anything but you. I'm sorry if I seemed out of it," I said sincerely as I wrapped my arms around her, lifted her off the ground and kissed her again.

"Well at least you weren't nervous, just eager," she said with a gigantic smile across her face. "So, when do we do our first dance? I'm really curious to know what song you chose."

"I think we get to dance after dinner, so just be patient. You'll like my choice, I'm pretty certain. I played it for Jasper yesterday and even he liked it," I said confidently. I hadn't made many choices for this wedding, but the only decision she let me make by myself turned out to be harder than actually asking her to marry me.

We kissed for a few more moments before heading back to the patio to join our families. Emmett and I had strung up twinkle lights all around the patio yesterday afternoon, and I had to admit that they looked pretty good now that they were turned on and it was getting darker outside. There were flowers covering the table, which was a lot longer now than all the other times we had sat for dinner. Rosalie had really left nothing to the imagination and I would be forever indebted for her help with the wedding.

"Everything looks so beautiful," said Bella as we took our seats and I poured her a small glass of wine. "Don't let me drink too much tonight," she added casually as I nodded my head in agreement with her. If we were going to try to have a baby soon, we should cut out the alcohol as soon as possible so she wasn't going through the withdrawals we always joked that Rosalie was going through.

I looked over at my brother and his wife who were standing off to the side of the patio, his hand on her stomach again. She wasn't even showing yet, but every chance Emmett got, he was talking to or rubbing her stomach, and I thought it was the most endearing thing I had ever seen. I wondered if I would be the same way when Bella was finally pregnant. I would probably be sliding headphones over her belly so the baby could listen to the Beatles or Simon & Garfunkel.

Our dinner was just as fabulous as the rest of the day, and once it was finished, I actually felt bad for giving Rosalie such a hard time regarding some of the details. I truly had thought she had gone overboard on the wedding when there were only ten people involved, but Bella was smiling from ear to ear the entire night, so I knew everything was exactly the way it should be. Emmett and Jasper cleared the table from the patio area, since this was now going to be the dance floor and when they gave me the signal, I grasped Bella tightly to me as Jasper turned on the stereo and our first dance song started; 'The Luckiest' by Ben Folds.

_I don't get many things right the first time  
In fact, I am told that a lot  
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls  
Brought me here_

And where was I before the day  
That I first saw your lovely face?  
Now I see it every day  
And I know

That I am, I am, I am  
The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you  
In a house on a street where you lived?  
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike  
Would I know?

And in a white sea of eyes  
I see one pair that I recognize  
And I know

That I am, I am, I am  
The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties  
And one day passed away in his sleep  
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days  
And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong  
That I know

That I am, I am, I am  
The luckiest

The music was slow, our movements were gentle and Bella laid her head on my shoulder as I pulled her tightly to me as we danced along the cobblestone patio. "Who sings this?" she asked curiously as the words filled the small patio are and our entire family stared at us with large smiles.

"It's Ben Folds. I spent most of yesterday trying to decide between my five songs, and after talking to Jasper, we both agreed this was the best choice, since I really am the luckiest." I said sweetly as I pulled her into a kiss as the song ended. Bella and Charlie enjoyed a quick father daughter dance to 'Daughter' by Loudon Wainwright. I think I laughed for three weeks after Bella picked this song, because he played the dad on 'Undeclared', but it didn't matter to Bella. She loved the lyrics and thought her father would enjoy the song. It was modern, yet very fitting of the relationship between Charlie and Bella. There was no formal mother and son dance, but as the next song came from the speakers on the patio, I pulled my mother onto the dance floor eagerly and thanked her for her support. It was the first time I could recall tears in my mother's eyes.

It was almost an hour later when Bella and I finally got a moment of peace and quiet. "Do you think they would notice if we snuck away?" she asked seductively as I wrapped my hand around her waist.

"Probably, but I don't think they would care. It's almost eleven anyways; they have to be getting tired. Isn't it way past Charlie's bedtime?" I asked with a curious grin. Bella simply nodded her head and intertwined her hand in mine, leading me away from the patio and onto the moonlit beach. We walked slowly towards the stairs to our small house, which had been our sanctuary for the past few days. I had sent Alice up there almost half an hour ago to light some candles and spread some rose petals on the floor and the bed, so when I saw the light coming from our bedroom window, I was pleased to see everything was done.

"I think we should go upstairs now, Mr. Cullen," said Bella with a grin as I kissed her sweetly.

"I think that's a wonderful idea, Mrs. Cullen."


	44. The Epiclogue

**A/N: So finally, as promised, the epilogue. This is officially the longest chapter I have ever written at almost 5,000 words. I hope I have included everything that people wanted a resolution for, but if not, too bad. I really don't think I'm going to do a sequel. **

**I am however planning a few one shots like: The Christmas Poker Game, Emmett and Rosalie's New Years hook up (forever known to me as the dining room table debacle) and possibly others. If there are one-shots you'd like to see, please send me a PM or review and I may gladly work on them. Don't expect an Alice and Jasper wedding one shot. I think I'm all wedding'd out for a little bit.**

**Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers, including the newbies who posted now that the story is almost complete. Special thanks to lysvia, lovebuggkiss, amigirl, itsinmyblood, the real teacher, mmwalker and grtchn who always seemed to review every chapter, with awesome and inspiring words.**

**Meghan Bailey – here's the response to your questions:**

**Edward's five songs were: I will by the Beatles, Beauty's Running Wild by Scars on 45, Each Coming Night by Iron & Wine, Colors by Amos Lee and Better Man by James Morrison. I have links to all of them but James Morrison on my profile page. They all inspired me in the chapter, and were all my considerations for their first dance.**

**As for Alice running from the room, I should have been more specific in the next sentence because she left to get the garter for Bella. Nothing more.**

**Anyways, please write if you want to see a few one shots for this story and definitely please review. Don't forget to check out my other stories. Love Ya All! **

**Edward POV – Wedding Night**

"This is beautiful," sighed Bella as I set her down on the floor after carrying her over the threshold of the beach house and into our bedroom where the candles and flowers, setup by Alice, were awaiting us.

"Not nearly as beautiful as you," I said genuinely as I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her neck, while her back pressed against my chest.

"You do realize you don't have to be so sweet right? You are guaranteed sex tonight," said Bella with a sly laugh as my smile fell slightly.

"I wasn't saying that to get into your dress Bella. You are my wife, I was saying it because it's true," I replied sincerely. Bella started to walk away from me, slowly unzipping her wedding dress and letting it fall to the floor behind her. She looked absolutely stunning in her white corset and panty set, complete with ruffles on the ass. "You're killing me Bella. You know how I feel about ruffles on your ass." Bella simply laughed at me as she reached up and pulled some pins from her hair, letting all of her soft curls fall down her back and onto her shoulders, framing her beautiful face. I removed my jacket and tossed it onto one of the club chairs in the corner of the room, as Bella moved closer to me and tugged gently on my tie, pulling my face towards hers for a deep, sensuous kiss. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, letting my hand run down to her ass to finger the ruffles reverently. It was heavenly; they felt even better than they looked.

Bella pulled back from our kiss, reaching up to my chest to pull my tie off and start unbuttoning my shirt. I helped her pull my dress shirt from my pants and she lovingly slid the fabric down my shoulders and onto the floor. I walked towards Bella until her knees were back against our bed and then I swept her up into my arms and gently laid her in the middle of the bed. I pulled my pants off until I was left in just my boxer shorts and climbed onto the bed. I kneeled in front of her as she lay before me, lust in her eyes and white lace all over her body.

"I love you,' I said genuinely as I moved closer to her and admired her corset. I looked like it might be a bit difficult to remove, so I took my time, gently tugging on each string until Bella noticed my frustration and simply pulled it off over her head, leaving her spread before me in just her luscious ruffled panties which I planned to worship for the rest of our lives.

"I love you too, I didn't want to see you get so stressed over a corset," she said with a laugh as I grabbed her thighs and spread her legs wider so that I could position myself closer to her. I leaned forward and grabbed her face in my hands gently, running my thumb ever so lightly along her cheek. I took my time loving her on our first night of wedded bliss. My hands, lips and tongue explored every single inch of her creamy skin, while she peppered light kisses all over my body.

I pulled her panties off quickly and immediately ran my fingers up and down her slit, which was practically dripping in excitement. I watched every single movement and listened intently to every single noise which came from my wife's mouth while I ran my fingers over her wetness, before I plunged two fingers inside of her. She moaned and writhed beneath my fingers as my lips laid a trail of kisses across her stomach and up to her supple breasts. I was worshipping her and I couldn't think of anything better to do with the rest of my life. I continued my ministrations on Bella's body, paying particular attention to her clit as my thumb began rubbing it fiercely, my fingers still buried deep inside her. Bella's hands gripped the sheets tightly and I knew she was near her peak and I couldn't wait to hear her cum for me. I wanted to beg her, plead with her to cum for me, but I didn't need to. Before I even was able to formulate the words, I felt Bella shiver and tremble below me in pleasure.

I released my grip on her and pulled my boxer shorts off swiftly before moving myself forward to kiss her gently on the lips. I felt her tongue graze my bottom lip as she wrapped her legs around my waist. I gently eased myself into her as she tightened her legs, forcing me deeper inside of her. I let out a long lazy sigh as I began to guide myself in and out of her slowly, my hands grasped firmly on her hips. Bella never said anything to me virtually the entire time I was inside of her, with the exception of many loud moans and screams. I leaned forward and began sucking sweetly on her neck as her legs released around me, and I was able to quicken my pace.

I was on the edge, but waiting patiently for Bella, who I could tell was almost as ready as I was. I moved my lips from her neck to her breasts and began to nip at them sweetly at first and then with more fervor. The moment I bit hard on her, she screamed out my name and tensed her entire body in overwhelming pleasure. I followed almost immediately after her, still feeling her quiver beneath me as I came inside her. I moved back from her ever so slowly, desperate to keep a mental image of this night for the rest of our lives.

"What are you doing?" asked Bella breathlessly as she moved back against the headboard and sat up slightly.

"Just trying to memorize this, since there is no way you'd let me take a picture," I said with a gentle laugh. I sat beside her and pulled her into my arms, and we both looked out the open French doors to stare at the night sky.

"I can't believe we're married," she stated with a smile. "It still feels so unreal to me. I know it only happened a few hours ago, but it hasn't sunk in yet." I watched as Bella pulled her hand up and examined her ring finger on her left hand, touching the new wedding band and antique engagement ring reverently.

"You have the rest of your life to let it sink in Bella."

**Bella POV – September**

"Are you ready for this?" asked Edward calmly as we pulled into the driveway of his parent's house for our monthly dinner. Instead of us going to the Cullen's' whenever they called, we now had a set night when all of us would gather for dinner and drinks, and today just happened to be the third Sunday of the month, so here we are.

"No time like the present right?" I replied as I gave his hand a tight squeeze and we stepped out of the car into the warm September air. I grabbed Edward's hand as he helped me from the car. Emmett and Rosalie had been at the house for a few hours already. Ever since their daughter Emalie was born on August 23rd, they had been coming to the Sunday dinners a bit early so that Esme and Carlisle could spent some quality time with their first born granddaughter. When we walked in, Emmett was in the living room giving her a bottle and talking to her about pre-season football. I seriously thought he was the only Seahawks fan in all of Chicago.

"Hey Emmett," I said quietly as I walked over with Edward and gave Emalie a tiny kiss on her forehead. Babies always smelled so good and Emalie was certainly no exception. Rosalie and Emmett had been extremely lucky because Emalie was a very happy baby. In fact, I have never heard her cry once. It probably helped that she had such excellent parents. Emmett was very hands on and Rosalie seemed to be able to determine her needs before Emalie could even express them. She had a sixth sense when it came to her daughter. After the news Edward and I got a few days ago, I doubt we would be as lucky to have such a happy baby.

"How's it going?" asked Emmett as he gently eased Emalie onto his shoulder and patted her back to burp her. "Rose is in the kitchen with Carlisle, Esme and Lunchbox." Just as he said this, they all walked into the living room to join us, including Lunchbox who practically started humping Edward's leg he was so happy to see him.

"Edward, Bella… we didn't hear you come in" said Esme as she came over and gave us a welcoming hug. "How's the pregnancy going?"

"Are you over the morning sickness yet?" asked Carlisle curiously as I nodded my head slowly. I had just started my second trimester and thankfully the morning sickness was subsiding. It wasn't completely gone, but it was definitely better than before.

"Things are going well," started Edward as he was interrupted by Alice and Jasper walking into the house. Their relationship had changed significantly when they got engaged on vacation in France in June. Alice and Esme had been busy planning the biggest wedding Chicago had ever seen, when they weren't fussing over Emalie.

"Where's the little angel?" cooed Alice as she walked into the living room, looking for her niece. "How's the pregnancy going Bella?" asked Alice as she started to stroke Emalie's hair softly while Emmett returned to feeding her.

"It's going good. We went for our first ultrasound on Friday morning," I said nervously as I looked up at Edward and pulled the sonogram from the envelope in my purse. "The doctor said the babies are doing fine and are very healthy." I handed the sonogram over to Esme and Carlisle who both looked over at us in shock. The room was quiet for a few minutes as Edward and I looked at each other with nervous smiles. Emmett was the one to break the silence, which didn't surprise anyone.

"Slow your roll, did you just say babies? As in more than one?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes Emmett, there's more than one. Thankfully there's only two," laughed Edward as he kissed my forehead tenderly. It still felt surreal to me. Edward and I had gotten pregnant just three months after the wedding and now we were expecting twins. Even though Edward and Alice were twins, it had never occurred to me that we might have them as well. Esme and Carlisle wrapped us up into another big hug, followed quickly by Rosalie, Jasper and Alice.

"I can't believe it. Twins," exclaimed Alice happily. "A month ago there were no babies in the Cullen Family and before we know it, there will be three of them. I am going to go so broke buying them so many little outfits. Do you know if they will be boys, girls, one of each?"

"We have no idea Alice, but we are going to find out, so I promise to let you know," I said with excitement in my voice.

"Have you told Charlie and Renee?" asked Rosalie as she gave me another congratulatory hug.

"Yeah, we told them last night on the phone. Charlie was visiting her, so I think it helped that they were together for the news. Of course they were both ecstatic. She's still not doing well, but it is as good as can be expected. She's lasted a lot longer than her doctors thought, so we're not complaining." Edward and I had managed to go visit Renee last month, when I was only two months along in the pregnancy. We stayed at Charlie's for a few days and would go to her house and go through our wedding video and photos with her while she knitted more items for the baby. It had been a pleasant visit, even though she had clearly deteriorated since we saw her last. I did my best not to be upset about everything though, knowing full well it wasn't good for the pregnancy to worry. It was even worse now that I had two little bundles to worry about.

"Are you worried?" asked Jasper with concern as he moved beside Alice and was looking down happily at Emalie.

"No. Mom and Dad handled twins just fine, and they had Emmett to worry about too. I'm sure Bella and I will do fine," said Edward with a laugh. "Anyways, Emmett had the energy of triplets, so it was like they had five kids at once. I always wanted a big family anyways."

"Yeah, but I don't want to be like that family on TV that had twins and then sextuplets. No thanks Edward," I said as I poked him in the ribs.

"Jon and Kate plus Eight right?" asked Rosalie in curiosity. "I saw it a few times while Emalie was napping. Jon always looks like he's ignoring his wife or trying to find ways to kill himself."

"Yeah, they always make fun of his blank stares and awkward responses on 'the soup'. Joel McHale is still so dreamy," I said with a giggle as Edward looked at me with a hint of jealousy. "But not as dreamy as my baby daddy," I replied as I patted him on the stomach gently.

**EPOV – January**

Life was getting more difficult by the day. Ever since Bella had been forced on bed rest by her doctor just before Christmas, things had been awkward. Not between us, just in general. Bella was frustrated that she had to rely on either myself, Rosalie or the in home nurse who stopped by once a day to help her. She spent the first few days reading various baby books, and picking out names, which she would later decide she didn't like. We still hadn't picked anything that we could both agree on, and the babies were due on February 14th, one month away. Our doctor kept telling us it was perfectly normal for twins to be born early, but Bella was determined to last as long as she could, so that both of them would be as healthy as possible.

We lay in bed that night, my hand on her stomach, where it rested most nights. I was talking to the babies, as I usually did, while Bella offered up some name suggestions from the baby book she was reading. When we had our last sonogram, the doctor told us he thought it was both a girl and a boy, but he wasn't one hundred percent certain. We were preparing ourselves for all possibilities.

"What about Liam?" she asked curiously as she started saying his full name out loud… Liam Cullen. "Ok, scratch that one."

"Do you hear your mommy, she's going crazy," I said to her stomach as I moved my hand around, eager to feel them kick again. Bella was certain they were beating each other up in there because some days there was constant movement.

"Shut up Edward. What about Logan?" I thought about it for a moment, and I wasn't totally against it.

"I like it. Logan Cullen. Very manly," I replied with a smile. "We're not going to pick rhyming names are we? Like Logan and Lara or something stupid like that?"

"No, I don't like that. What about Tristan? Tristan Carlisle Cullen?"

"Since when are we using Carlisle for a middle name? I thought you wanted to use Charlie?" I asked curiously. I should have known better than to question her. Her mind changed every five seconds these days.

"We haven't decided on a middle name, I'm just making suggestions," she replied sweetly as she flipped to another page in the book and one of the babies moved slightly. "They always like to make my bladder into a bean bag chair." I let out a small laugh as she made another suggestion. "What about Maddie for a girl?"

"I like that too. How about Maddie Grace Cullen?" I asked curiously. It was rare that I make suggestions, but Bella smiled happily at this one, so I knew she approved. "I also like Abigail. We can call her Abby." I watched as Bella nodded slowly and then winced slightly and let out a low groan. "Are you okay?" I asked with concern as I sat up from the bed, still holding her stomach.

"Either I just wet the bed or my water broke," Bella said with concern as I flew into a panic. I quickly called our doctor to let him know that her water broke and he suggested we come into the hospital as soon as we could. Bella and I got changed out of our pajamas and I grabbed her overnight bag, which had been packed for a few days, and we walked nervously yet quickly to the Volvo and headed to the hospital.

On the way, I called Esme and Rosalie to let them know we were going, but told them not to come unless we knew for sure she was having the babies. Rosalie promised to call Alice and Charlie to let them know. Bella had made every single one of us a phone tree to call the important people once she had the babies. It was a little OCD of her, but she was stuck in bed for almost a month and a half, so I couldn't fault her. It kept her from knitting more blankets, which she learned to do the moment she was forced into bed rest.

"Isabella Cullen for Dr. Rollins," I said breathlessly as I walked into the emergency room, holding Bella at the waist. She had a couple of contractions in the car, but I was so focused on getting us to the hospital safely, I never had a chance to time them. An orderly came along quickly with a wheelchair for her as they handed me a clipboard with medical forms. "We're pre-registered," I replied in frustration as I handed the forms back to her.

"No problem Mr. Cullen. We're going to get Isabella up to a room. Dr. Rollins called and said he was on his way, so we'll make her as comfortable as possible until he arrives," said the head nurse as I glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was nine thirty at night on January 16th.

Dr. Rollins showed up just after ten and did a thorough exam of Bella. He spoke some sort of medical jargon to the nurse before he ushered me out into the hallway, to speak to me in private. I automatically assumed the worst and started to grab at my hair in a panic. "Relax Edward. She's doing alright. She's dilated a few centimeters already and we're going to keep her here until she has the babies, okay?" he said with a genuine smile.

"So, there's no problems right?" I asked anxiously.

"None at the moment, but that doesn't mean she's completely in the clear. The babies are a month early, but they seem extremely healthy. However, if Bella hasn't progressed enough in the next couple of hours, we may decide to do a c-section, just as a precaution." I nodded my head in acknowledgement and stepped back into the room with Bella, who was smiling up at me while they hooked a fetal monitor up to her stomach.

"I think they like it in there too much to come out," said Bella with a laugh as I sat beside her and gripped her hand gently. "Can you call Charlie and let him know what's going on?"

"Rosalie already called him. Esme and Carlisle want to come down to be here with us. They were out of town when Emalie was born and I said that it was okay. I hope you don't mind?" I asked nervously. Bella shook her head in agreement and I relaxed a little bit. Bella and I had taken classes for new parents, but it felt so different being in the hospital room with her, awaiting the birth of our children. Esme and Carlisle walked in just before midnight, their smiles brightening the room. It was actually a bit of a relief to have them around and I hugged my mom for support the moment she came into the room.

"How's it going?" asked Carlisle as he grabbed the chart from the end of her bed and analyzed it carefully.

"You tell us," laughed Bella as she watched him intently, before she had another contraction. I grabbed her hand in mine as she squeezed it while she suffered through the pain.

"You're looking good. I'll have two beautiful grand babies in no time," he said as he hugged Esme to his side and kissed her forehead. At least now I know where I get my forehead kissing habit from. Dr. Rollins came in after one in the morning and recognized Carlisle immediately.

"Dr. Cullen, it's wonderful to see you up here in maternity. I see your about to be a grandfather, congratulations," he said as he reviewed the print outs from the fetal monitors and then did a quick examination of Bella. "Nine centimeters Bella. We're at the home stretch, so I hope you are ready, cause we're gonna be having some babies any time now."

I sat down on the chair beside Bella and rested my head in my hands. I was so tired, but excited at the same time. Esme offered to go and get me a coffee from the cafeteria, but I turned her down. I needed to focus all my attention on Bella, who was now watching a Gilmore Girls repeat on the small TV mounted on the wall, in between her contractions.

"This is the one where Sookie gives birth to Martha and she tries to make Jackson get a vasectomy," she laughed to me with a smile. How she could be so focused on this show when she was in labor was beyond me. I laughed right along with her as Esme told us that Rosalie had called and was coming down to offer some support. We had been there for the birth of Emalie, so it didn't surprise me that she wanted to be here for us.

It was only an hour after Rosalie had arrived, they ushered everyone from the room but me, because Bella was going to try to start pushing. I was so nervous and scared the entire time. I wanted a shot of something, anything to take the edge off, but I couldn't do that. I was the strong one right now and I grabbed onto Bella's hand and did my best to be supportive while she gave birth to our beautiful son and daughter, Tristan Lucas and Maddie Grace.

**Bella POV -April**

Some days I still couldn't believe it, even when I watched them sleep in front of me; Tristan and Maddie quickly became our entire world for Edward and I. Sure we didn't get a lot of sleep in the first few weeks, but we worked well together and eventually we had a good routine down. Unlike Emalie, Tristan and Maddie were criers, but only when they needed something. Maddie especially had a set of lungs on her that reminded us of Alice; even Esme commented on how alike Maddie was to Alice when she was a baby. She would definitely be the talker of the two, just like her aunt. Tristan was a lot more easygoing, he smiled first and fell asleep a lot easier than Maddie, but could be just as cranky as her some days. They complimented each other well. The first month seemed like an endless marathon of diaper changes, midnight feedings and phone calls to Charlie and Renee.

It was only two months after the birth of the twins that Renee passed away. She was finally moved to a hospice in Port Angeles at the end of February and ended up passing in her sleep on March 18th. Renee and I had talked a few times before she passed, and she had talked mainly about the babies and how cute their pictures were. Charlie was a doting grandfather and was always bringing her new pictures of the twins when we would email them to him. Charlie and Phil were devastated when she finally passed, but it was to be expected.

Edward and I ended up going to Forks for the funeral with Alice and Jasper tagging along to help care for the babies while we were at the funeral. Renee would have loved the babies more than anything in the world, and I knew she was watching over them. Charlie even said so as he gave a sweet eulogy and bid her goodbye. He never really got over my mom leaving him, but at least now he had Sue and they were still going strong and I was certain I would have yet another wedding to go to in the near future. Edward and I kept joking that they were waiting until the twins were old enough to be the ring bearer and flower girl.

While we were in Forks, Charlie spent every possible second with the babies. We even took them to the police station so that Charlie could show them off to his co-workers. Thankfully this time, he kept the babies away from the inmates, unlike when he made me bring Edward to the station over a year ago.

"Do you hear them?" I asked Edward nervously as he cuddled up next to me in our bed and I listened intently to the baby monitor on my night stand.

"Bella, they are fast asleep. Can't you just enjoy the next hour or two before they wake up and want to be fed again? You know Tristan is a boob man, he won't be able to wait, just like I can't," laughed Edward as he grabbed my breast gently and then leaned up to kiss my cheek.

"You're right. We should get a little nap in before the little munchkins wake up," I said sleepily as I curled up in his arms, resting my head on his chest. "Edward, did you ever think when we met almost three years ago and had that one night stand that we would be here… married with twins?" I asked curiously. I knew I never thought that. Then again, I just thought he was a good lay and possibly a future booty call. I didn't want or need anything serious at the time, but here I was, married to the man of my dreams, the father of my children and I couldn't think of anywhere else I wanted to be.

"I hoped we would end up together. Did I think about the twins, not initially I just wanted you to go out with me again and then have sex with me again and again and again," he said with a sincere laugh. "I practically begged Alice to call you and give you some sort of job just so I could meet you, but instead she became friends with you and invited you to the party, which forever changed my life for the better."

"Are you happy?"

"I don't think happy is the proper term. I am over the moon ecstatic about every single aspect of my life right now. I have a sexy gorgeous wife and two beautiful health babies, what else could I possibly need?" said Edward as he kissed me gently on the lips. "Well, maybe a minivan and every season of Gilmore Girls on DVD for my wife, but that's about it."


End file.
